Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 2 (ANI): Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Thursday has hit back at Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over allegations concerning his business holdings, defending his commercial ventures and thanking his political rival for providing "free publicity."
Addressing the media at the joining program, KTR responded to criticism regarding property disclosures from his election affidavits, maintaining that running legitimate businesses to support his family is entirely lawful.
“Revanth Reddy was talking about whatever I filed in my affidavit in 2009. He said I have hotels; I myself am saying that I have them. What are you saying? As if you are Columbus and made a discovery like Vasco da Gama or something. You are saying what’s in the affidavit,” KTR said.
Defending his professional background alongside his political career, KTR questioned the premise of the attacks, emphasising that enterprise is a vital means of sustenance.
“Is doing business wrong? I have to feed my wife and kids. Otherwise, they will say, 'What are you doing in politics?' Therefore, to feed them, I am doing business, what is wrong with it?” he added.
The BRS leader also stated the scale of commercial assets, joking that his political commitments prevented him from expanding further.
“If I had really cared about business and left politics aside, I would have had 10 hotels by now, but I have only 3 hotels. Anyways he gave me free publicity. I am very happy that Revanth Reddy gave publicity to my hotels. I am thanking you from the bottom of my heart," KT Rama Rao said.
KTR's remarks came after Chief Minister Revanth Reddy delivered a sharp political message directed at the opposition leadership while offering high-stakes incentives to local party workers during his Sircilla visit.
On Wednesday, calling upon party cadres to dismantle the influence of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in its stronghold, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy declared that the Congress party is set to lead a decade-long "people's governance" in the state from 2024 to 2034.
Aiming for the top BRS leadership, the Chief Minister stated that the regional party had run out of political momentum in the state. He drew a historical timeline of Telangana's political shifts over the past three decades to underscore his point: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) served two consecutive terms during 1994–2004. Congress led the government twice under Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and D. Srinivas (DS) during 2004–2014. BRS (formerly TRS) held power under K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) during 2014–2023.
"I want to say one thing: from 1994 to 2004, Telugu Desam was in power twice. From 2004 to 2014, YS and DS were in power twice. From 2014 to 2023, BRS has been in power. Today I am telling you, from 2024 to 2034, the people of Telangana will keep people's governance in power," he said.
Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister Sircilla's visit acquired political significance as KTR, a prominent BRS leader, has represented the constituency in the Assembly. Revanth Reddy had announced his plan to visit Sircilla earlier as part of his tour of constituencies represented by senior BRS leaders.
Ahead of the visit, KTR welcomed the Chief Minister to Sircilla and demanded that the Congress government release a white paper on the constituency’s development since it came to power.
He also sought details of the government’s allegation that 8,000 acres of government land had been taken over and its claim that 2,400 acres had been recovered.
KTR has asked the government to make public details such as the locations, survey numbers and extent of the land involved.
KTR also raised issues concerning the textile sector, including pending dues to weavers, the yarn subsidy and the proposed weaving and apparel parks. He sought timelines for several development, irrigation, education and welfare-related works in the constituency.
The visit was to focus on development works in Sircilla, including infrastructure and welfare initiatives, while Revanth Reddy’s public address is likely to draw political attention given the constituency’s representation by KTR. (ANI)
"Revanth Reddy gave me free publicity": BRS leader KTR hits back at Telangana Chief Minister
