Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be participating in dedicating the ₹6,000-crore 800MW NTPC power plant at Ramagundam virtually to the nation and laying the foundation stone for 30-odd railway stations’ development work besides other projects during his October trip to Telangana.
Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region G. Kishan Reddy told the media on Tuesday that the PM will also be involved in other development programmes apart from addressing two public meetings, in Mahabubnagar on October 1 and in Nizamabad on October 2.
Mr.Reddy, also the BJP Telangana president, said the visit of Mr.Modi and earlier one of Union Home Minister Amit Shah has given sufficient impetus for the party to strengthen itself for the Assembly elections ahead. “We are already getting stronger in north Telangana, from Hyderabad to Adilabad, while there is lot of political churning happening in Khammam with tribals and locals joining us,” he claimed.
The BJP leader appeared agitated when asked for his reaction to the BRS leadership criticising the PM’s visit. “Who is KCR [Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao] to question us? What has he done in the last nine years? Has he fulfilled any of his assurances made to the people like filling up government jobs and three acres to Dalits? The Centre has funded Telangana to the tune of ₹9 lakh crore,” he said.
New drama
In a separate press conference, Telangana BJP vice-president and former MLA N.V.S.S.Prabhakar questioned the government for laying foundation stones for bridges when it did not have funds to pay the bills of contractors for works done in GHMC and in other departments besides being unable to pay salaries to employees. “Calling for tenders, laying foundation stones and such acts is only because elections are round the corner. These are only meant for commissions,” he said at a press conference at the party office.
‘Govt. must apologise’
Later, in another press conference, official spokesman N.V. Subash condemned Minister K.T.Rama Rao’s comments on Mr.Kishan Reddy and Mr.Modi and accused the BRS government of being a “total failure” on all fronts. It was the government’s failure during the Krishna river water sharing talks which had led to low quantum allocated to Telangana whereas the Modi government had provided speedy clearances for the successful completion of the Kaleshwaram project. “It is KCR and KTR who have to apologise to the people of Telangana for being unable to fulfil the promises made to the electorate,” he maintained.
