Harish Rao, KTR Equals In Government: K Kavitha

Downplaying the comments in a section of the media about IT Minister K T Rama Rao being elevated in the government and Harish Rao being stymied in the recent Cabinet rejig by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, MP K Kavitha, who is also KCR's daughter and KTR's sister, on Tuesday said that both the leaders were key persons in the TRS government.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, Kavitha slammed the comment that Harish Rao was downgraded and KTR upgraded in the Cabinet reshuffle. Both Harish Rao and K T Rama Rao were important in the government, and shuffling was only for administrative convenience and good governance, the Nizamabad MP, who also has her say in the TRS government, averred.

Kavitha also remarked that Harish Rao and she had together participated in Mission Bhagiratha and other developmental programs in the State.

Rejecting the disdainful comments of the Opposition on the welfare schemes, Kavitha accused them of lacking values. "Our government is working towards transforming the State into a bangaru Telangana, and such criticism only slows the process," she said.

Also lambasting the Opposition for their criticism on the TRS fielding a candidate for the Palair by-poll which was necessitated due to the death of the sitting Congress MLA, she said that the Congress leadership had met them only after the TRS had announced its candidate. She also faulted the Congress for fighting against mother of Srikanth Chary, who had sacrificed his life for Telangana's statehood.

She also claimed that there was no link between the Palair by-election and the TRS plenary (both are happening in the Khammam district). And the Election Commission had accorded permission to the TRS to conduct plenary in Khammam, so the Opposition carping was useless, Kavitha said. She claimed that the plenary would see a turnout of 4,000 delegates.