In a fiery political confrontation, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao has thrown down a direct challenge to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. KTR demanded that the CM ask the ten legislators who allegedly defected to the ruling Congress to resign from their posts and seek a fresh mandate from the people through by-elections.
A Direct Challenge and Accusations of Defection
Addressing a victory gathering of newly-elected BRS sarpanches in Sircilla, KTR launched a scathing attack on the Congress's political maneuvers. He pointed out the chief minister's contradictory statements regarding recent local body election results. Revanth Reddy initially claimed the Congress's win in 66% of seats was a blessing for his government, but within minutes, he reversed his stance, saying local polls are fought on local issues and caste lines, not government performance.
"If you (Revanth Reddy) truly believe the people are with you, accept my challenge," KTR declared. "Make those 10 MLAs you 'bought like cattle' resign. Let us go for a bypoll. The people will decide who has the real strength and who has the real percentage."
Criticism of Defectors and Allegations of Speaker Pressure
KTR specifically named and criticized two senior leaders, Kadiyam Srihari and Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, who have reportedly switched their loyalties to the Congress. He expressed dismay at their actions, stating it was "pathetic to see leaders who served as ministers and speakers stooping so low for 'blade-of-grass' positions."
He accused them of duplicity, noting they proudly announced their joining in front of Rahul Gandhi but then "shamelessly lied before the speaker, claiming they are still with the BRS." KTR said their political credibility was ruined and they were "clinging to power like bats." Furthermore, he alleged that the chief minister's office is pressuring the assembly speaker to ignore concrete evidence and shield the defecting legislators, a serious charge in the ongoing political drama.
Panchayat Poll Results as a Public Mandate
The BRS leader framed the recent panchayat election results as a clear public rebuke to the Congress government. He asserted that despite the ruling party allegedly using police and official machinery to intimidate the opposition, the BRS secured a decisive victory in Sircilla. The party won 80 out of 117 panchayats in the region.
KTR stated that the results were a lesson for the Congress for "deceiving farmers, women, and Backward Class communities." He emphasized that even with extensive tours by state ministers and the chief minister himself, the people had made their preference clear. "The people have made it clear that they want KCR's leadership for the welfare of villages," KTR stated. "The pink flag is flying high because the public trusts our vision over Congress's conspiracies."
The event underscored the escalating political tensions in Telangana, with the principal opposition party, BRS, leveraging local electoral success to mount a vigorous attack on the Congress government's legitimacy and its methods of consolidating power.
