Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy launched a strong political attack against the BJP and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao here on Tuesday and challenged BJP to go for elections based on its governance record as opposed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity.
In Hyderabad, Reddy dismissed the BJP's claim that it will form the government in Telangana after the 2028 Assembly elections and accused both BJP and BRS of not fulfilling their promises.
'Fight Elections on Governance, Not Modi's Face'
Reacting to BJP national president Nitin Nabin's claim that the party would establish a “double-engine government” in Telangana in 2028, Revanth Reddy ridiculed the BJP's ambitions.
"Recently, someone came here... Nabin or whatever his name is. He says the next government will be theirs. They made similar claims in West Bengal. Telangana's people know how to respond," Reddy said.
The Chief Minister challenged the BJP to compare its 12 years in power at the Centre with the Congress government's two-and-a-half years in Telangana and the BRS’ decade-long rule.
"Let's discuss 10 years of BRS, 12 years of Narendra Modi, and two and a half years of our government. Modi promised ₹15 lakh in every poor person's bank account, doubled farmers’ income and two crore jobs every year. Where are those promises?" he said.
He also accused the BJP of relying entirely on the Prime Minister's image during elections.
"Whether it is a ward election, a sarpanch election or a municipal poll, they ask for votes in Modi's name. Elections should be fought based on the work of local leaders, not by projecting one face," he said.
Sharp Attack on KCR and BRS
Revanth Reddy also targeted the former Chief Minister and BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao, saying that his government encouraged widespread liquor consumption across Telangana.
"He destroyed every culture except drinking culture. Belt shops came up in every locality, liquor reached every street and even children were exposed to alcoholism. Women and families have suffered because of that model," Reddy said.
BJP eyes Telangana in 2028
Earlier in the day, BJP national president Nitin Nabin addressed party workers in Warangal and Hyderabad, assuring them that the BJP would form a “double-engine government” in Telangana in the 2028 Assembly elections.
He accused the Congress government of failing to fulfil its election promises, alleged corruption through what he called the “RR Tax,” opposed reservations for Muslims and said the BJP would continue to expand its organisational base in the state under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.
As political parties are being more and more aggressive ahead of the next assembly elections, Telangana is seeing a war of words in the early days between the ruling Congress, BJP and BRS, in a political battle with high stakes for the coming years.
