Telangana BJP has claimed Chief Minister Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s announcement to implement the quota for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) among the upper castes as a “victory” for the party.
Party president and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar ‘welcomed’ the move but charged the government of ignoring the Centre’s proposal for the sake of “caste and vote bank politics” for many years. “It is only because of our consistent espousing of the cause and our plan to take up a day along fast as well as protest programmes throughout TS -- has forced the CM’s hand,” he claimed at a press conference.
“EWS quota is being implemented across the country successfully benefitting many from the poorer sections but here Mr. Rao did not bother to introduce the scheme despite representations and pleas by many organisations. We wanted to aggressively take up this issue among the people and it is good he has opened his eye at least now,” said Mr. Sanjay Kumar.
However, he demanded the government to straight away start implementing the quota without further dilly-dallying in the name of committee or any other “excuses”. “It is not enough to just announce the scheme in a bid to politically outwit us, because we will not hesitate to agitate if there is any delay,” warned the BJP leader.
Earlier, party vice president and former MLA N.V.S.S. Prabhakar urged the State Governor to “dismiss” Municipal Administration, IT and Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao for his alleged involvement in “emptying” the industrial regions of Uppal, Nacharam, ECIL, Katedan and others in the name of “shifting” -- but actually “indulging in largescale real estate deals”.
Addressing a press conference at the party office, the BJP leader made serious charges against the Minister and his other family members and accused them of “selectively converting industrial lands into commercial and residential constructions to benefit people close to them”.
Industrial development areas were made ‘irrelevant’ by not conducting polls and with the active connivance of top officials of the department, the Minister and his “friends” have been usurping lands. “Top officials continuing in the posts for the last six years have not done anything for industrial promotion, on the contrary they have been aiding in land deals,” accused the BJP leader.
The Centre had relased upto ₹3,200 crore as incentives and subsidies to aid the small, medium and micro enterprises and there were more packages under ‘Atmanirbhar’ scheme, yet TS has not released a single paisa to the firms concerned. “K.T. Rama Rao is an ineffective and inefficient minister not only in industrial promotion but in municipal department too as is reflected in BRS, LRS schemes and the large number illegal constructions,” he added.