BRS obstructing development: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad, Mar 26 (PTI) Hitting out at BRS, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday alleged that the main opposition party is hurting the state's interests as it seeks to show the Congress government as a failure.

Reddy, who spoke in the Assembly during a debate on Demands for Grants for 2025-26 fiscal, also said the government would form a Special Investigation Team or entrust the job to CBCID, to prevent, prohibit and to take necessary measures against online betting and rummy games.

Slamming the BRS, sometimes indirectly, he said it is not fair for the party to attribute an ill-intention to the government whenever it planned to take up any constructive programme.

"The situation is such that you are carrying out an acid attack on the state's development as you try to attack the government and Congress, to show the government to be a failure... even when the government takes steps with good intentions. (They are) trying to hurt Telangana's prestige by spreading false propaganda on various fora with a conspiracy to see that Telangana fails," he said.

He "appealed" to the BRS not to make such conspiracies as they don't help the cause of Telangana.

"You are frequently saying that you will come to power next time. If you want to come to power next year, does it help the state if investments move away from the state and state becomes bankrupt," he asked.

If the BRS leaders, who ran government for 10 years, behave like "power mongers", how will it help the state, Revanth Reddy questioned.

He also said the IT and infrastructure sectors saw major growth in Hyderabad after communal riots were checked and law and order is ensured.

Asserting that the government decided to act tough against betting apps, online betting and online rummy games, he alleged that though the previous (BRS) government made a legislation prohibiting online betting, it showed negligence in the implementing the law.

Referring to police in Hyderabad questioning, during the last few days, some TV anchors and social media influencers who promoted online betting apps, he said mere questioning such persons would not address the issue in its totality.

Observing that the law stipulates only two years of imprisonment for the organisers of online betting, he called for amending the law to make punishment severe. He also said the government would be "alert" against the supply of gutka and other such prohibited items.

Asserting that the Congress government tries to maintain law and order since it came to power 15 months ago, the CM said Telangana is number one in the country in checking price rise (1.3 inflation) and collection of state taxes.

On the comments of a few that bypolls would be held in seats held by BRS MLAs who shifted loyalties to ruling Congress during the last 15 months, he said no bypolls were held though turncoat MLAs were made ministers during the previous BRS regime.

Why would bypolls happen now as there is no change in relevant laws after the BRS regime, he said.

The BRS MLAs, who are now said to have switched over to Congress, say that they have not quit their parent party, he said. "There will be no bypolls," he said.

Saying that his government presented realistic budgets, he alleged that the previous BRS regime made "fraudulent budgets" with a huge gap between the allocations and actual expenditure.

The CAG has also highlighted findings of such a "fraudulent" practice, he said.

Without naming BRS, he alleged that university students are provoked and PILs are filed in courts indirectly in the issue of planned development of a land parcel at Kancha Gachibowli here.

The students of University of Hyderabad and others are opposing the government's proposal to undertake development at a land parcel on the grounds of environmental conservation.

Observing that the land is located at the Financial District in the city's IT hub, he said the government's endeavour is to promote investments, IT parks and generate employment on a large scale.

The land parcel has nothing to do with the University, he said.

He indicated the government is making land allotment to a firm involved in space research at Kamareddy town in the state. PTI