Hyderabad: In a damage control exercise a day after Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s statements on the State’s finances, IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu asserted that in contrast to the previous BRS regime which had pushed the government into economic failure, the Congress was bringing it back from bankruptcy.

During an informal media interaction at CLP office on Tuesday, Sridhar Babu said that the Chief Minister revealed the financial situation of the State without inhibitions. However, he said that the CM was keen to resolve all the issues by putting the economic situation back on track.

Responding to BJP’s demands for Revanth Reddy’s resignation and seeking fresh mandate, the Minister questioned if the BJP would step down because of its failures. He said everyone was demanding that the BJP, which has not fulfilled the promises made in the elections, should step down. Moreover, the Pahalgam terrorist attack was carried out right under BJP’s watchful eyes. He said that the BJP in Centre was facing problems over the country’s economy, job creation, unemployed youth, amongst other issues. “We are implementing each and every promise we made. We are reducing expenses and there is no plan to stop freebies,” he said.

Over usage of helicopters by Ministers, Sridhar Babu said that the previous government hired a helicopter, but barely used it. It is the ruling Congress which is utilising it properly as the cost of a helicopter is less than the cost of the Minister’s convoy. He held that the BRS regime paid money for hiring the copter, without using it properly.

Responding to BRS accusations over mishandling of employee issues, the Minister said that it was BRS which failed to give employees salaries on time. “If they have the love of the employees, why didn’t they give the employees their salaries on time.

As soon as we came to power, we gave a DA to employees, who were facing financial problems. We are paying interest of Rs 6,000 crore per month on the loans taken by the BRS regime. We are paying interest on the loans taken from outside by the previous government. The government went bankrupt during the BRS regime. We are bringing our government out of bankruptcy. We have released a white paper on the loans taken by BRS,” he said.

The Minister said that jobs will be created in the pharma sector through Skill University. Over the Chief Minister’s visit to Japan and its result, he said that the government was trying its best to attract investments.

“It doesn’t mean that every foreign tour will get an investment. Despite all this, we are trying our best for the sake of the State’s progress and development,” he explained.