Revanth Cosies Up to Modi for TS Help, Says Politics ‘Only During Elections’

Adilabad: Taking a hands-on and positive approach to his relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, contrasting vastly from his predecessor K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday asked “Bade Bhai Modi” to extend all possible help and cooperation for developing Telangana.

Speaking at an official event where Modi was present to inaugurate a slew of projects, Revanth Reddy made it clear that his state government would not confront the Centre and bid to maintain good relations. He sought the blessings of the Prime Minister for Telangana state and the people of Telangana.

“Chief Ministers will develop their respective states only when they get the support of the Bade Bhai and your support is much needed to achieve development in the Telangana like in Gujarat,” he said.

Reddy said that friction between state and Central governments would ultimately cost citizens and that politics “are only during elections”.

Reddy thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of the people of Telangana for transferring 190 acres in the Cantonment area for skyways and also for giving special permission to open a textile college in the state.

Citing the Sabarmati River project in Gujarat, he sought cooperation for developing the Musi Riverfront project in Hyderabad. For the Thummidihatti project in Adilabad, he requested Modi to have a positive word with the Maharashtra government to cooperate in providing drinking water to tribal-heavy areas and irrigating 1.5 lakh acres in Adilabad.

Reddy said the state government needed 1,850 acres in Maharashtra for the construction of the project, was ready to pay land compensation and ensure no village is submerged due to the project.

Stating that Telangana was only producing 1,600 MW power against 4,000 MW as per the Telangana State Reorganisation Act, Reddy said the state government would extend all possible cooperation and permissions to NTPC for generating 2,400 MW. He also recalled that NTPC had stated it would give 85 per cent of power to Telangana for establishing semiconductor industry and Metro rail projects.

Reddy also assured Modi that his government would respect Constitutional positions like the Governor, appealing to him to help Telangana contribute to Modi’s dream of making India a $5-trillion economy.

Speaking at the event, Union minister G. Kishan Reddy said the Central government spent nearly Rs.10 lakh crore on developmental works in Telangana over the past 10 years. He said the length of national highways also doubled in the period, adding another 2,500 km were under construction.

Kishan Reddy appealed to the people to elect all 17 MPs in the Lok Sabha elections from the BJP, saying “there is no future for the BRS and KCR in the state” and “BRS is yesterday's party”.

Kishan Reddy, not sparing the Congress, said there was no possibility for the state government to implement all Six Guarantees. He also claimed the state government had no roadmap or agenda for implementing the same and that Telangana could have a brighter future only when a BJP government is elected in the state.