As the upcoming Huzurabad by-election inches closer, the TRS has intensified its campaign in the constituency.
Today, Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao urged the voters of Huzurabad not to "fall prey" to the "small gestures" being made by the BJP candidate for the election, former minister Etala Rajender, and advised them not to get swayed by the latter's presents of kumkum bharine (traditional vermillion powder boxes) and watches.
"The BJP leader has dumped Huzurabad. While in office too, Etala Rajender failed to work towards the welfare of the people. He did not build houses for the poor and never spent funds on development. Instead, he just minted money for himself," he alleged.
"The KCR government, on the other hand, has been implementing several welfare and developmental schemes like the Dalit Bandhu and the Rythu Bandhu, many pensions for the disadvantaged, and a comprehensive housing program for the poor. Rajender's victory will not help in taking these projects forward. I would like to urge the people of the constituency, therefore, to support our party and vote for
Gellu Srinivas Yadav. Where Rajender ignored the public's needs, Srinivas will develop the region and work for the people. With the support of the CM, he will be able to serve the public well," the minister added.
Continuing his attack on Rajender, Rao then hit out at the BJP leader and for his "unsavoury remarks" against the CM, and reiterated his appeal to the people of Huzurabad to support the TRS in the upcoming by-election.
He made these remarks after inspecting the preparations being made for Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's
public meeting which will be held at Huzurabad on August 16. Minister Gangula Kamalakar and others party members were also present for the inspection.
Speaking to his party colleagues about the program, Rao asked them to ensure that at least 1 lakh people attended the August 16 meeting.
Rajender, meanwhile, promptly came forward to deny all the allegations made by Rao against him.
The former minister told the press, "The Finance Minister has lied to make the people of Huzurabad support the TRS and to turn them against me."
"But, they will never believe Harish Rao's lies. He has been criticising me a lot over the past few months. I believe that no leader should level personal allegations against their rivals. Criticisms of rivals should be confined to ideological differences. Despite all his attempts to alienate me from the public, however, I am confident that I will win the by-election. I have been winning from the constituency for years now due to the love of the people. Now, too, they will stand by me and nobody will believe the lies of the leaders of the ruling party," he added.
Speaking further on the matter, Rajender claimed that as MLA, he had done his best to develop his constituency.
"There are no pending public works in Huzurabad. But, those who are responsible for the completion of the works have not even paid by the state government yet. Even the providers of the midday meals have not been paid. It is the TRS regime that is not sincere in its commitment to welfare and development. If this was not the case, it would have implemented the Dalit Bandhu scheme all over the state, not just in Huzurabad. The TRS is only concerned with winning elections. There are rumours that the party's leaders have even sold lands in Hyderabad to distribute money in Huzurabad to win the seat," the leader thundered.