Harish: Congress has no right to seek votes unless it implements 13 assurances

Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader T Harish Rao on Wednesday said the Congress party had no right to seek votes unless it implements 13 assurances under the six guarantees.

In an informal chat with the media, he countered the comments of CM A Revanth Reddy made a day before. He said confiscating pens and phones of journalists who were entering CMO reflects the present situation. “Now whose rule is dictatorship. Is it ours or your? ‘There was no situation like this when we were in power,” said Rao. Asserting that Reddy had urged the public to vote for the party in the Lok Sabha election, citing his 100 days of rule, Rao said the CM had spent all his time on white and black paper before expressing support for the BJP in a saffron paper "love letter."

He accused Reddy of deceiving not only people of Telangana, but also Rahul Gandhi, questioning the endorsement of the Gujarat model. “Rahul Gandhi criticised the Gujarat model, yet Reddy seems to desire it, indicating a contradiction in their positions. Why Reddy praises Modi when Rahul Gandhi has a chance to become the PM,” said Rao. He said Reddy promised to waive 2 lakh crop loans on December 9, but no budget allocation was made for farmer loan waiver. Rao raised concerns about the Congress seeking votes without fulfilling promises to farmers, including loan waiver and other benefits.

He highlighted issues such as drying borewells, burning farmer motors and famine during the Congress rule. Rao emphasised that tenant farmers, farmers and agricultural labour should re-consider voting for the Congress. ‘Reddy promised a Rs.4,000 pension from December, but no one received Asara pension in the State in January. He urged the 44 lakh pensioners to teach the Congress a lesson in the upcoming LS elections. Rao suggested filing of cases against the Congress leaders for giving bond papers on the six guarantees. He questioned why women haven't received Rs 2,500 under the Mahalaxmi scheme, asking the incentive to vote Congress. He raised concerns about the Congress breaking promises regarding unemployment benefits and the ‘Dalit Bandhu’. He questioned the rationale for voting for the Congress given unfulfilled promises and lack of progress.