Telangana's Industries Minister, D Sridhar Babu, launched a sharp counterattack on Monday against former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's scepticism regarding the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the recent Telangana Rising Global Summit. Babu accused the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of pursuing an unspoken policy to discourage industries and block job creation for the state's youth.
From Hype to Hope: A New Governance Model
Addressing a press conference at the state secretariat, Minister Babu drew a clear distinction between the previous BRS administration and the current Congress government. He asserted that the KCR governance model was rooted in creating hype, while the Congress government's approach is based on building hope through concrete action. "During BRS rule, there was more publicity and less delivery. In our government, there is more action and less self-promotion. That is the fundamental difference," Babu stated emphatically.
He challenged KCR directly, asking whether the MoUs worth Rs 5.75 lakh crore inked at the summit were false, and if so, whether the participation of global CEOs and international delegates was also fabricated. Babu defended the process, noting that every MoU requires a reasonable timeframe for grounding and implementation.
Tracking Investment: Grounding MoUs with Integrity
The minister provided figures to bolster his argument, claiming that the Congress government had successfully attracted Rs 3.4 lakh crore in investments within just two years of coming to power. He contrasted this with the BRS tenure, questioning how many of the MoUs signed during that period actually translated into real, on-ground investments.
"Our Congress government is committed, with integrity, to grounding every single MoU," Babu pledged. He suggested that for a leader who "governed remotely," even genuine state-backed agreements with national and international firms might appear as mere hype. "But let us be clear, this is not hype. This is hope, which we are building deliberately for the future of this state and for generations to come," he added.
Vision for the Future: Beyond Real Estate
Minister Babu also elaborated on the Congress government's flagship Bharat Future City project, framing it as a visionary national role model rather than a simple real-estate venture. He described it as an initiative driven by a clear vision to provide investors with a world-class, integrated ecosystem where all necessary amenities and infrastructure are available in one consolidated location.
"Misrepresenting it as a mere real-estate venture is irresponsible," Babu said, emphasizing the project's strategic importance for Telangana's long-term industrial and economic growth. The minister's robust defence underscores the escalating political debate in Telangana over economic development and the credibility of investment promises, setting the stage for a continued war of words between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS.
