War of Words Erupts in Telangana Assembly Between CM Revanth Reddy and KTR

Hyderabad: Tensions flared in the Telangana Assembly on Wednesday as a fiery exchange unfolded between Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR). The debate, which centered on allegations of political vendetta, debt burden, and governance, drew sharp counters from both sides and stirred up intense political drama in the House.

KTR Accuses Government of Vendetta Politics

KTR opened the floor with strong accusations, alleging that the Congress-led government was pursuing vendetta against BRS leaders. He criticized the administration for targeting opposition members, implying misuse of authority and political bias.

CM Revanth Reddy Hits Back Strongly

In response, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy delivered a scathing rebuttal. “If we really wanted to take revenge, your entire family would be in Chanchalguda jail,” he said, dismissing the allegations and emphasizing that his government has not filed any unlawful cases so far.

The Chief Minister also recounted his own jail experience, claiming he was unjustly jailed under the previous BRS government. “I was kept in a detention cell for 16 days. I even had to request to turn off the lights at night. That was your political vendetta,” he said.

Congress Waives Off Rs 20,615 Crore in Farm Loans

Refuting criticism from the opposition, CM Revanth highlighted his government’s accomplishments, particularly in the agricultural sector. He contrasted his administration’s quick implementation of the farm loan waiver with BRS’s failure to fulfill its promise across two terms.

“In just six months, we waived off Rs 20,615 crore worth of farm loans. In contrast, BRS waived only Rs 16,900 crore in 10 years,” he stated. He also mentioned that Rs 7,625 crore was released to farmers under the Rythu Bandhu scheme, which BRS had defaulted on.

Additionally, the Congress government granted a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal to farmers who cultivated paddy, taking a jibe at the previous government for issuing threats to farmers while growing paddy in their own farmhouses.

Congress Credited with Free Electricity to Farmers

The Chief Minister clarified that the concept of free electricity for farmers in Telangana originated with the Congress, not the BRS. “We have already spent Rs 33,000 crore on free power for farmers. What BRS couldn’t do in 10 years, we achieved in just 10 months,” he said.

Telangana’s Massive Debt Burden Revealed

Taking a swipe at the previous regime, Revanth Reddy exposed the financial challenges inherited by the Congress government. “At the time of Telangana’s formation, the debt stood at Rs 72,000 crore. Now it has ballooned to Rs 7.05 lakh crore, including pending dues and liabilities,” he revealed.

He stated that his government has borrowed Rs 1.58 lakh crore in 15 months, out of which Rs 1.53 lakh crore was used to repay old debts.

Kaleshwaram Project Under Fire

The CM criticized the Kaleshwaram project, calling it a monumental failure. “Rs 70,490 crore was spent, and over Rs 5,000 crore has already been paid despite the collapse,” he said. Revanth alleged that the project was executed without heeding engineering advice and now poses serious structural risks. “Experts say even stopping water flow could lead to collapse,” he warned.

Despite these setbacks, the CM praised Congress-era irrigation projects, stating that Telangana’s paddy yield growth was possible only due to those foundations.