Special package announcement to Andhra Pradesh has definetly heated-up Telangana politics also. While the Information and Technology minister K. Tarak Ramarao made a visit to Delhi and held discussions with the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday, the Leader of Opposition in Telangana State Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir slammed the TRS government.
The Congress leader said, "Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced a special package of Rs 2.25 lakh crore for Andhra Pradesh. But the Finance Minister did not even mention a word on the status of promises made with Telangana under the APRA. At the time of bifurcation, the then UPA Government had given several assurances to Telangana which included setting up of Bayyaram steel plant, 4,000 MW power plant at Ramagundem, Horticulture and Tribal Universities, Central institutions and other sops. However, not a single promise made in the Act has been fulfilled so far. Who is responsible for this? TRS Government in the state or BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre? ".
Taking a dig on state Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao the Congress veteran said, "he only makes tall claims like a 'Sheik Chilli'. But he scores zero when it comes to performance. With his idiocy, KCR has turned a revenue-surplus Telangana into a bankrupt and debt-ridden state in 27 months."
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden visit to Telangana last month, instead of asking for funds, the chief minister asked for his love and affection," he said adding that affection between Modi and KCR would only help KCR's family and people of Telangana would gain nothing out of it.
He said "KCR could not even get High Court bifurcated. Both patted each other's back, but skipped discussion on issues concerning Telangana state."
He added that "the chief minister should take Congress leaders to Delhi if he had "no guts" to seek funds for Telangana from the Centre. People of Telangana are in trouble. Farmers, youth and all other sections of the society are unhappy. There are no jobs and no funds. Except for Mission Kakatiya and Water Grid, funds are not being released for any other department. TRS Government has totally failed to get Telangana's due share from the Centre."
Shabbir Ali demanded that the Central Government fulfill all the promises that were made with Telangana in the AP Reorganization Act and extend a financial package to Telangana on par with Andhra Pradesh.
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BY M. DIVYA SRI
