TRS working president and Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao today censured the ruling party's rivals, the BJP and the Congress, for making "derogatory remarks" against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.
Addressing a huge gathering of the members of the pink party's student wing at the Telangana Bhavan, along with MLAs Balka Suman, Kishore Babu and others, he said that the party would take serious action against those "slandering" KCR.
"Our CM had started the TRS two decades ago when he had no media support, money or muscle power. He played a major role in helping Telangana achieve statehood despite several obstacles and an inclement political clime. However, some leaders of the saffron party and the Congress have been carrying out smear campaigns against him. They should remember that our party has, in the past, taught suitable lessons to big leaders and former CMs after the bifurcation who then ran away from the state," the minister said.
Claiming that the Opposition was trying to mislead the voters ahead of the upcoming MLC elections in the graduates' constituencies, he added, "Though the parties of the Opposition maintain that they have done much for Telangana, in truth they are famous for obstructing development in the state through repeated petitions against our projects. The TRS has the strength to teach them befitting lessons for their lies. We will not keep quiet if they continue to spread misinformation."
KTR then asked the student wing leaders to question the BJP on its reluctance to support the state, and to ask the party's leaders why the voters would support their candidates.
Expressing confidence in his party's prospects in the upcoming elections, Rao claimed, "We are going to win both the MLC seats. Not only do we have the best candidates, Surabhi Vani Devi (contesting for the Hyderabad-Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy seat) and Palla Rajeshwar Reddy (contesting for the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda seat), we also have the support of the people as we are known for our successful welfare schemes. The saffron party on the other hand will not be able to garner support as the BJP-led Centre did not sanction the ITIR, any medical colleges or Navodaya Vidyalayas, the Kazipet railway coach factory and many other projects to our state. The people will respond to its step-motherly treatment in the elections, I am confident."
KTR has been at the centre of many ugly spats between the TRS and the Opposition. Just recently, he exchanged some very
bitter words with State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar as well.