Congress government has no right to seek votes in local body polls: BJP

BJP Telangana president N. Ramchander Rao on Sunday stated that the Congress government has no ethical right to seek people’s support in the local body polls since it has neglected the development of rural areas and even diverted funds meant for the gram panchyats.

Addressing a gathering of partymen at a get-together organised in Sangareddy, Mr. Rao charged the present government of toeing the line of the previous BRS government in short charging the gram panchayats despite the Centre releasing funds for the same.

The contrasting condition of the rural roads maintained by the State government and the national highways laid by the Centre is a stark reminder of which government is working for the benefit of the people, he said. Similarly, the BJP leader said the Congress has been deceiving Backward Classes (BCs) in the name of enhanced quota and not giving suitable representation to them in the State Cabinet.

Mr. Rao asserted that it is the saffron party that has the bragging rights of taking steps for BCs’ development, with the Modi government having given constitutional status to the National BC Commission and also ensuring a majority of ministers in the Central Cabinet belonged to BCs. The Congress government had deliberately delayed elections to the local body polls enacting a ‘drama’ over BC quota, he claimed.

Earlier, the former MLC presided over a preparatory meeting of party office bearers to decide on the strategy for the local body election. It was decided to highlight the failures of the BRS and Congress governments in the rural sector plus the forgotten promises made during the elections by the latter through public meetings.

Former MPs, MLAs, MLCs, district presidents, state office bearers as ZPTC in-charges and district in-charges were told to strengthen the party and ensure majority seats are won in the local body polls. Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, MP D.K. Aruna, Legislature Party Leader Y. Maheshwar Reddy, Legislative Council Party Leader A.V.N., Co-incharge for Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy and others were present.

Mr. Rao, later, visited the family of P. Chandrasekhar, the student who was gunned down in the United States, at his LB Nagar residence and consoled them. Expressing his sorrow over the incident, he assured them about seeking help from the appropriate authorities in Delhi to see that the body is brought home as soon as possible.