BJP's New Telangana' will revolve around development and progress: Pralhad Joshi
HYDERABAD: Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday asserted that the BJP would end the “BRS family rule, nepotism and corruption” that were destroying the state. He said that the BRS was “of the family, by the family and for the family.”
Joshi attended the Malkajgiri Parliamentary Pravas Yojana, and interacted with members of residential welfare associations.
Speaking exclusively with Deccan Chronicle, Joshi said that the BRS, as a whole, was a hindrance to progress and development and the attainment of corruption-free ‘New Telangana’ that has been envisioned by the BJP-led Union government.
He said that this was in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s concept of 'New India.' “The Centre will focus only on development and not promote a family-run business. Unlike the discrimination shown by the BRS government, the BJP will ensure that benefits of all welfare schemes reach each and every beneficiary,” Joshi said.
On whether the Congress' win in Karnataka would impact the BJP’s prospects in Telangana, the minister said that elections in states were different from one another.
"No government was able to retain power in Karnataka, which is a sorry state of affairs. I am not saying this to defend our party's failure. I do not think that this would be the case in Telangana. The BJP is growing here and people are aspiring to see a change of guard and are looking up to us," he said.
Joshi said that though the BJP was not in power in Telangana, it had been contributing to its development across segments like roads, welfare schemes and making it power surplus in spite of the state government’s non-cooperation. He said that the Centre had sanctioned over Rs 2.5 lakh crore to Telangana in the last nine years.
The Union minister said that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was friendly with the Centre until the increase in the devolution of funds from 32 per cent to 42 per cent, for which he had thanked Modi. However, he said, Rao did a U-turn when the Centre decided to deposit money directly into the beneficiary accounts, which, in effect, eliminated his (Rao’s) role.
"Rao asked the Centre to deposit the money into the state government's treasury and not directly to the beneficiaries’ accounts in Telangana, which the Central government refused. Taken aback, he has started going about with anti-Modi propaganda. Other than this, there is no reason for him to oppose the BJP," Joshi added.
On whether leaders from other parties had stopped joining the BJP, especially in Telangana, Joshi said that this will pick up pace soon.
Quickly intervening on the issue, Union minister G. Kishan Reddy pointed out that former Nirmal MLA Aleti Maheshwar Reddy had recently joined the party from the Congress.
When quizzed about the number of leaders from other parties, who are in touch with the BJP leadership and how many are likely to join them, Reddy said that the party was not depending on such leaders but on the people of Telangana to come to power. He said if polls are conducted today, the BJP would form government with a handsome majority.
