TRS chief continues tirade against Congress, TDP

Targeting the Congress and TDP, TRS chief and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Friday alleged Telangana had suffered in irrigation and other sectors due to negligence during their rule.

On the other hand, it was during the TRS rule that development and welfare had been taken up on a large scale in various sectors, he claimed at an election rally at Wanaparthy near Mahabubnagar.

After opting for premature dissolution of the state assembly last month for early elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi supremo has announced candidates for 105 segments out of the total 119 in the state.

Rao has been attacking the Congress and TDP President and Andhra Pradesh chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who have decided to form an alliance for the coming assembly elections in Telangana, during his campaign meetings in the last few days.

He alleged that irrigation projects in the Mahabubnagar region suffered delays because of the negligence of Congress leaders.

"What is the gift given by the 60 years of Congress, TDP rule to Palamuru (Mahabubnagar) district?... When you say Mahabubnagar, it is the district of migrations, droughts, labour. Is this the gift they have given for 60 years? Pending projects district," he said.

Congress leaders from Mahabubnagar extended their support when then chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy worked against the interests of Telangana region in the irrigation sector, he charged.

Tracing the Telangana movement, he claimed first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru merged Telangana with Andhra Pradesh against its wish.

Late prime minister Indira Gandhi was responsible for the death of about 400 agitators, who fought for separate Telangana in 1969, in police firing, he charged.

Later, the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi delayed formation of separate Telangana and the party finally agreed to the demand due to the agitation "out of compulsion", he claimed.

Training guns on Naidu, Rao alleged the TDP supremo did not actually work for development of Mahabubnagar district though he had "adopted" it for nine years in undivited Andhra.

In a blistering attack on the alliance of Congress, TDP and others for the assembly polls, he asked, "Should we handover the self-respect of Telangana to Andhraites again?... Should we become slaves to Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh capital). Should decisions of Telangana happen in Telangana or Delhi?".

On reported comments of Naidu that he (Rao) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have "come together", Rao sought to know the need for such a tie-up.