Revanth Reddy said that Congress policies had turned Hyderabad into a growth corridor while the previous BRS government pushed the State into decline.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy today said that Telangana witnessed robust growth both during the Congress regime in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh and under his government since 2023 in the separate State.
"It was the Y S Rajasekhar Reddy government that provided free power to farmers and signed the first file to waive electricity dues of Rs 1,300 crore. Key projects were taken up under Jalayagnam, including Kalwakurthy, Bheema, Nettempadu, RDS, Indira Sagar, SLBC, Pranahita-Chevella, SSRP, Mid Manair and Sripada Yellampally. Hyderabad was transformed into an IT and knowledge hub, global company centres are being established routinely, and the city has also emerged as a bulk drug powerhouse contributing 40% of India's supply. 70% of Fortune 500 companies including American Airlines and McDonald's have set up GCCs in Hyderabad, and we have attracted major investments like $1 billion from Eli Lilly," he said.
Addressing a Meet the Press program at a hotel, Reddy said that Congress policies turned Hyderabad into a growth corridor. "65% of Telangana's income now comes from Hyderabad. Rangareddy district now has the highest per capita income in the country - all due to the Congress' proactive governance," he said.
"Plans are also underway to bring 20 TMC of Godavari water to Hyderabad," Reddy added.
The Chief Minister criticised the previous BRS government for "neglecting Telangana's development and pushing the State into decline" in all sectors. Coming down heavily on the previous BRS government, Reddy said that KCR ruined Telangana during his 10-year rule.
"Let us compare the ten-year rule of the Congress and that of KCR. Telangana's economy was Rs 60,000 crore in surplus when KCR took charge, but he left behind a debt of Rs 8.11 lakh crore, pushing the State into a financial crisis where even salaries couldn't be paid. Massive structures like the Command Control Centre, Secretariat and Pragathi Bhavan did not generate a single job. KCR spent Rs 1 lakh crore on the Kaleshwaram project, yet not a single acre was irrigated. The BRS government spent Rs 1.85 lakh crore on irrigation projects without any results. Telangana became the top paddy producer in the country with 2.85 crore tonnes even without Kaleshwaram. The government also neglected universities by not appointing Vice-Chancellors, and closed 5,000 schools. It failed to construct the new Osmania Hospital and TIMS," he claimed.
Continuing his tirade, Reddy said, "KCR was like a blind-eyed Dhritarashtra. What is the use of changing directions based on vaastu when one's destiny is flawed? KTR did not do justice even to his own sister, yet made tall claims about his commitment to M Sunitha and her family. KCR, confined to his palatial house, could not rein in power-hungry KTR."
The Chief Minister also castigated Union minister Kishan Reddy for not supporting Telangana's development. "Kishan Reddy is acting as a Gujarat Gulam, obstructing Telangana from growing and competing with other States. And KTR even with such a person for his own personal gain," he alleged.
Revanth Reddy said that the people clearly knew who developed agriculture and who promoted pub culture. "BRS rulers encouraged pub culture, while the Congress government fostered a culture of connecting with the common people. BRS leaders mingled with film celebrities and ignored the welfare of film workers," he said.
He was hopeful that the Congress would rule Telangana until 2034, and said that the responsibility of developing the city rested with his government. He urged voters to ensure a Congress victory in the Jubilee Hills by-election for the city's continued progress.