Hyderabad: TRS working president and minister K.T. Rama Rao has backed energy minister G. Jagadish Reddy's challenge to the BJP, stating that the TRS will withdraw from the Munugode bypoll if the BJP government at the Centre offers a Rs 18,000-crore package for the development of the Munugode Assembly constituency and Nalgonda district rather than awarding a Rs 18,000 crore contract to Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy to join the BJP.
Addressing a meeting of TRS Vidyarthi (TRSV), the party's student wing, at Telangana Bhavan on Tuesday, Rama Rao stated that if the BJP accepts this challenge and offers the Rs 18,000 crore package, he will make efforts to persuade party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to withdraw TRS candidate from Munugode bypoll.
"TRS already has over 100 MLAs in the Assembly. It doesn't make any difference for the TRS if it stays away from contesting elections in one or two seats. TRS is ready to withdraw from Munugode bypoll if the BJP government at the Centre gives Rs 18,000 crore package for development, the amount which is equivalent to the contract awarded to Rajgopal Reddy's company," Rao said.
Rama Rao also praised former CMs of Undivided Andhra Pradesh, late Y.S Rajashekar Reddy and his political nemesis N. Chandrababu Naidu, saying there was some "political decency" back then.
"Previously, we had rivals in Telangana such as YSR and Chandrababu. There used to be some decency if we wanted to criticise them or they criticised us. However, our current rivals in Telangana are bufoons,” Rao said while referring to BJP state president Bandi Sanjay and TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy.
Rama Rao accused the BJP and Congress of working together to defeat the TRS in Munugode.
"I read news reports that Congress MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy is leaving abroad and will return after Munugode bypoll. This demonstrates that the Congress and BJP joined forces, and the Komatireddy brothers became 'covert Reddy' brothers."
