T’gana CM kicks off Cong campaign for civic polls

TElangana chief government minister A Revanth Reddy on fri asserted that he would non follow a confrontationist come on towards the BJP-led Centre but would focus on securing funds and projects for the state.“Some people criticise me for frequently meeting Prime Minister Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. But it is my responsibility to get funds for the state. Who else will give us funds and projects? If we don’t ask, how will the Centre know our needs?” Revanth Reddy asked, while addressing a public rally at Nirmal town, where he formally kickstarted the Congress campaign for the upcoming municipal elections.The chief minister added that politics should be confined to elections and governance should be the focus thereafter.He alleged that the previous government failed to approach the Centre for a decade, resulting in irreparable loss to Telangana. He also urged BJP leaders in the state to cooperate and jointly seek central assistance for Telangana’s development.Highlighting the welfare measures implemented by his government, Revanth Reddy said the Congress administration was firmly committed to the upliftment of the poor.He listed key initiatives of his government, including the sanctioning Indiramma houses for the homeless, supplying fine rice through the public distribution system and providing bonus to fine paddy farmers, providing LPG cylinders at ₹500, granting 200 units of free electricity to poor households, offering free travel to women in RTC buses and empowering women through self-help groups with interest-free loans.Reddy added that those who ruled the state for nearly 10 years and plunged Telangana into massive debt were allegedly unable to digest the welfare initiatives being rolled out by the present government.He appealed to the people to elect leaders who work for development and public welfare. “In the coming municipal elections, vote for those who deliver development. We won the last elections, we will win the next ones, and we will return to power in the state and rule till 2038,” he declared.Earlier, the chief minister laid foundation stones and inaugurated several development projects in Nirmal district. He described Adilabad as a land of struggle, courage and sacrifice, recalling the legacy of tribal revolutionary Kumuram Bheem who fought for “Jal, Jangal, Zameen”.Declaring that Adilabad had suffered neglect for decades, the chief minister assured that his government would allocate funds to Adilabad district on par with Mahabubnagar. “This district has not received the development it deserves. We will correct that historical injustice,” he said.He also announced that a full-fledged university would be established at Indian Institute of Information Technology, Basar. He made it clear that the Tummidihatti project must be constructed to provide irrigation water to the farmers of Adilabad.He said an airport would be established in Adilabad and called for the acquisition of 10,000 acres of land for the purpose. “Let us invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the airport inauguration. If red buses did not run here earlier, now even air buses should,” he remarked.