Hyderabad: Is the Congress government indulging in politics of vendetta? This question sparked an intense debate during discussions on the 2025-26 budget. BRS leader K T Rama Rao (KTR) accused the government of engaging in revenge politics, warning that such an approach could push the state into crisis. KTR emphasised that democracy thrives on a balance between the government and the Opposition, allowing both sides to express their views freely.

He argued that any attempt to suppress the Opposition amounted to vendetta politics. "It is the job of the Opposition to highlight government’s unfulfilled promises. If provoked, we will expose corruption and internal dissension within the ruling party," he asserted.

Responding to these allegations, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy dismissed the claims, stating that he had never indulged in vendetta politics. Instead, he accused the previous BRS government of practicing political vendetta.

Recalling his own experiences, Revanth Reddy spoke of the "horrible treatment" he had endured during his 16-day jail term. He claimed that he was arrested on accusations of flying a drone over a farmhouse and was subjected to harsh conditions, including detention in an open-air prison. "I couldn't sleep even for a single night because the staff was instructed not to turn off the lights. I was confined to a small room usually reserved for hardcore criminals, Naxals, and ISI agents, where huge lizards preyed on insects all night," he recounted.

He further alleged that the BRS hired top lawyers from Delhi to prevent him from securing bail, even for his daughter’s wedding. "I endured all the suffering and left it to God to do justice. And on the day, I took the oath as Chief Minister, KCR landed in a hospital," he remarked.

Revanth Reddy reiterated that the people of Telangana had given him a mandate not for vindictive politics but for governance and development. He added that the public was closely observing the statements and language used by BRS leaders, including KCR and KTR, and understood who was truly engaging in vendetta politics.