Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Sunday warned against any SIR vote deletion targeting BJP supporters. He also rejected Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s allegation that the BJP was using the revision process for electoral gains.
Rao spoke after welcoming a group of OBC and Munnuru Kapu youth leaders into the BJP. The new entrants had earlier worked for the BRS in Secunderabad. Rao welcomed the former BRS youth leaders and their teams by presenting them with BJP shawls.
He described Revanth Reddy’s allegation about selective voter deletion as absurd. Moreover, Rao cited elections in Kerala, which he said took place after completion of the SIR process and resulted in a Congress victory.
Therefore, he questioned how the SIR process could be linked only to BJP electoral victories. He also asked the Chief Minister to explain his position in light of the Kerala result.
SIR vote deletion targeting BJP supporters alleged
Rao countered the Chief Minister by accusing the Congress government of misusing official machinery during the SIR process. He alleged that the government could target lakhs of voters considered favourable to the BJP. In particular, he raised concerns about voters in the Secunderabad Parliamentary constituency.
Furthermore, Rao accused the government of targeting people who migrated from neighbouring Telugu states and settled locally. He claimed the government sought to remove their votes because they supported the BJP.
The BJP president also alleged that family members of key party leaders had received notices on technical grounds.
Meanwhile, Rao accused Revanth Reddy of making allegations because of growing opposition to the Congress government. He also claimed national surveys showed increasing support for the BJP.
Rao warns officials against irregularities
Rao noted that Booth Level Officers were State government employees. Therefore, he urged them to discharge their constitutional responsibilities impartially. He asked BLOs not to yield to what he described as illegal political pressure.
Rao also referred to previous action against officials over alleged irregularities in Khammam district. He warned that the BJP would pursue legal action if officials violated rules during the revision process.
Additionally, he said the party would submit complaints with evidence to the Election Commission of India. Rao also criticised the Congress government over Telangana’s education sector. He claimed Telangana allocated 9 per cent of its budget to education against a national average of 14.5 per cent.
Since Revanth Reddy held the Education portfolio, Rao said the Chief Minister should take responsibility for problems in the sector. He also challenged Revanth to visit the Osmania University hostel where the Chief Minister had studied. Rao asked him to speak with students about their living conditions.
The BJP leader then questioned the Chief Minister’s statement that teachers’ problems would receive solutions within two years. He asked what the government could achieve in its remaining period if it had failed to deliver earlier.
Rao alleged that retired teachers faced delays in pensions. He also said serving teachers faced problems involving salaries and promotions. Moreover, he linked unpaid fee reimbursement dues to financial problems at private colleges. He claimed those colleges had consequently paid faculty members only half their salaries.
Rao also criticised vacancies in university professor posts and teaching positions in schools. Turning to technical education, Rao demanded that the government avoid harming existing courses through integration measures.
He assured BJP support to polytechnic students and said the party would protect their courses and certificates. Rao also sought a comprehensive White Paper on investments announced following the government’s Davos visits. He asked the government to disclose the actual number of industries established and jobs created.
Additionally, Rao opposed any curriculum that, according to him, went against Indian culture and heritage. He asked the government to respect teachers and protect their standing in society. He blamed the Congress administration for protests by employees, students, farmers, teachers and electricity workers.
Rao said a future BJP government would significantly increase the education budget. He also promised transparent recruitment to vacancies in universities and other educational institutions. Furthermore, he said the BJP would prioritise research and strengthen the education sector.
Rao said young people were joining the BJP in large numbers because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and welfare-oriented governance.
He described the entry of active OBC and Munnuru Kapu youth leaders from the BRS as a positive development. Finally, he assured the new members that the BJP would give them due respect. Rao maintained that the party would challenge any SIR vote deletion that it believed unfairly targeted its supporters.