Congress Ministers hit back at KCR, accuse him of failing to stomach Praja Palana

Minister Ponguleti with his Cabinet colleagues addressing the media on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement

HYDERABAD

In a strong rebuttal, Congress Ministers, including Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Seethakka, Ponnam Prabhakar and Jupally Krishna Rao, strongly rejected BRS president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s remarks against the Congress and the Revanth Reddy-led government, made during the BRS silver jubilee celebrations at Elkathurthy. Accusing him of resorting to baseless criticism, they said he was unable to digest the Congress government’s performance.

Addressing the media, the Ministers accused the former CM of peddling falsehoods fuelled by ‘jealousy and hatred’ towards Indiramma Rajyam. Minister Srinivas Reddy challenged KCR to a debate in the Assembly, alleging that contractors’ dues and unpaid sarpanch bills were legacies of his administration. Slamming KCR for portraying the Congress — the party that granted Telangana its Statehood — as a villain, he said, “You turned a rich Telangana into a debt-ridden state of ₹8.19 lakh crore and are now daydreaming of returning to power.”

Taking a swipe at KCR’s record on social justice, he questioned why a Dalit was not made Chief Minister, and demanding that at least now, a Dalit be made the Leader of the Opposition.

He accused KCR of misleading the public by alleging that the Congress government was looting the treasury, while adding, “If KCR had given constructive suggestions, we would have welcomed them. Let him fix a date. We are ready for a debate on all issues in the Assembly.”

Mr. Ponguleti recalled that KCR, who once showered praises on Sonia Gandhi was today poisoning public sentiment against the Congress.

Targeting KCR’s governance, he said the former Chief Minister advised farmers not to grow paddy even as he cultivated it at his own farmhouse. He rejected the allegations of corruption in the government.

Highlighting alleged irregularities under the BRS government, Mr. Ponguleti questioned why tenders for wine shops were hastily floated before KCR left office and pointed to a pending investigation into a ₹1 lakh crore scam in the Kaleshwaram project. “Why was this not discussed when you had the chance in the Assembly?” he asked.

Minister Seethakka described KCR’s speech as one ‘of a dictator who lost power’, and said he appeared visibly distressed by internal rifts within his family. She accused him of misusing the police force, leaving behind massive arrears in power bills and mocking democratic institutions.

Mr. Ponnam Prabhakar demanded that KCR withdraw his remarks branding the Congress government as villainous. Minister Jupally Krishna Rao also accused KCR of plunging Telangana into a debt trap, questioned the BRS’s unexplained wealth and alleged widespread corruption during KCR’s rule.