Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has no right to seek votes in Telangana after Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioned its very separation from Andhra Pradesh and then snatched away seven mandals from Telangana.
At a press conference held in Hyderabad on Friday, Mr. Prabhakar advised the BJP to seek votes after explaining how many jobs Mr. Modi has given and how many projects in Telangana were given financial assistance or national status. “Let Mr. Kishan Reddy (BJP Telangana president) or Bandi Sanjay (Karimnagar MP) explain what happened to the two crore jobs promised every year. It’s been 10 years and there should have been 20 crore jobs,” he said.
All that the BJP did in the last 10 years was use Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) departments or the portrait of Lord Rama to seek votes. “The Lord belongs to all Hindus and not the BJP leaders. It is a shame that God is being used to seek votes. But people have seen through your game. If you are sincere, seek votes explaining jobs, economy and support given to Telangana,” he demanded.
Let BRS explain its unfulfilled promise
Lashing out at the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS), he said people like T. Harish Rao, who was a Minister for 10 years, should explain why they couldn’t pay ₹3,016 unemployment dole as promised, or build double bedroom houses or provide three acres land to Dalits. “We have not even completed four months and BRS leaders are making a hue and cry on the promises. We have launched five of our six promises. How come you failed to implement your promises in 10 years,” he asked.
He ridiculed BRS’s demand for payment of ₹25,000 per acre compensation for crop loss. “You did not give even ₹2,500 in your 10-year rule. You did not even take up enumeration, unlike the present Congress government that is enumerating the crop losses.”
Water shortage due to poor monsoon
Mr. Prabhakar said Telangana was facing water shortage due to poor monsoon last year and it happened in the BRS rule itself. Why would the Government go back from releasing water from the projects if there is sufficient water?, he said responding to Mr. Rao’s criticism.
Mr. Prabhakar said both the BJP and BRS were speaking the same language after being in power for 10 years. “Should we carry the burden for their 10-year mistakes,” he wondered. Manakondur MLA Kavvampalli Satyanarayana Rao, Fisheries Corporation Chairman Mettu Sai Kumar and TPCC Media Committee Chairman Sama Rammohan Reddy were also present.
