Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday dismissed the challenges thrown at him by state Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy, saying that ‘entire India has seen the power of KCR’.
Addressing an election rally at Achampet in Mahabubnagar district, the Chief Minister said that some people were challenging him to come to Kodangal or at the Gandhi statue.
“The entire country has seen the power of KCR. There is no need to prove it again,” he said while reacting to Revanth Reddy’s challenge to contest next month’s Assembly elections against him from the Kodangal constituency.
Without naming anybody, he asked at whose feet these people were sitting when he was fighting for Telangana.
Recently, Revanth Reddy had also dared KCR to come to the Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial to take a pledge that they will not use money or liquor in elections.
The BRS chief recalled that he was alone when he began the fight for Telangana 24 years back.
KCR also claimed that since he was sincere and his fight was just, he succeeded, adding that when Telangana was formed, it was facing electricity shortage and had no water for irrigation and drinking purposes.
“Today Telangana is the only state in the country which is supplying 24-hour electricity and drinking water to all the households through taps. Telangana has emerged as a model state for the entire country,” he said.
The Chief Minister claimed that even the Prime Minister’s home state Gujarat is not providing 24-hour electricity.
KCR said Telangana is going to polls in the 10th year of its formation. Stating that he has done whatever he could do for the state, KCR said it is now for the people to do their bit.
The Chief Minister also urged people to show their power on November 30 (polling day), saying that the voters should think and decide who can take Telangana ahead on the path of development.
KCR pointed out that Telangana, which was producing only 60 lakh tonnes of paddy, today grows 3 crore tonnes of paddy every year.
He cautioned the people that if Congress comes to power in the state, schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Dalit Bandhu will be scrapped.
He also promised that if BRS is voted to power again, the annual investment support for farmers under Rythu Bandhu will be increased from Rs 10,000 per acre to Rs16,000 per acre.
Hitting out at the Congress, the BRS chief said that it promised Telangana state in 2004 but gave in 2014, adding that Telangana was achieved by mobilising the support of 32 parties.
Later addressing a public meeting at Munugode, KCR said the Congress, which ruled the state for 50 years, failed to solve the problem of fluorosis in Nalgonda district.
BRS had won the by-poll in Munugode late last year. It was necessitated by the resignation of Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy of Congress, who had defected to BJP.