Hyderabad: Chief Minister Revanth Reddy alleged that the BRS and BJP have entered into a “secret understanding” to damage Congress prospects in the Jubilee Hills by-election and future polls.
Speaking at a Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra memorial event at Charminar on Sunday, Revanth accused both parties of conspiring to split votes and destabilise Telangana politically. He pointed out that BRS, which polled 37% in the Assembly elections, collapsed to 15% in the Lok Sabha polls. “Where did the missing 22% votes go?” he asked. “Who is helping whom is now clear.”
Revanth Reddy: BRS BJP pact harming BC quotas, democracy
He said the same conspiracy was playing out in the Jubilee Hills bypoll. Revanth blamed the two parties for stalling 42% reservations for BCs in local bodies. “Let’s stay alert and steer Telangana towards real development,” he urged.
Revanth accused BRS of becoming the BJP’s B-team. He claimed that in eight parliamentary seats Mahbubnagar, Chevella, Secunderabad, Medak, Malkajgiri, Karimnagar, Adilabad, and Nizamabad BRS vote shares had clearly shifted to BJP.
He warned of “ongoing plots” to divide voters and called on Congress supporters to reject such divisive politics.
Revanth pushes resolution to lower MLA age to 21
Revanth also said Congress would soon move a resolution in the Assembly to reduce the minimum age to contest MLA elections from 25 to 21. “Rajiv Gandhi empowered youth by lowering the voting age to 18. It’s time to take the next step,” he said.
He said such an amendment at the national level would make youth more active in politics.
Extremism worse than colonialism, says CM
Praising the legacy of Rajiv Gandhi, Revanth called him a symbol of peace and harmony. He said the Gandhi family had worked for India’s unity for three generations. He condemned the “communal forces” behind Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, calling them more dangerous than British colonialists.
Revanth credited Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra for countering national divisiveness. “Inspired by Rahul, we carried out caste census and SC sub-classification in Telangana,” he said. He urged Congress workers to carry forward Rajiv Gandhi’s ideals.
The event also saw the Rajiv Sadbhavana Award presented to senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid. Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Uttam Kumar Reddy, PCC chief Mahesh Kumar Reddy, V. Hanumantha Rao, and AICC leader Salman Khurshid attended the event.