Hyderabad: Mahesh Kumar Goud, President of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) and an MLC, has vehemently condemned the recent statements made by BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao. Rama Rao allegedly advised voters to ‘take ₹5,000 from the Congress and still vote for BRS,’ a remark Goud described as an ‘undemocratic and unethical act.’ He has formally demanded that the Election Commission take immediate legal action against KTR for these comments.
During a press conference held at the party’s Yousufguda office on Saturday, joined by Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and former MLAs Sampath Kumar and E. Anil, Goud asserted that KTR’s remarks openly flouted ethical standards in electoral politics. Goud criticized KTR for attempting to discredit the Congress, suggesting he had overlooked the BRS party’s own decade-long governance, which, according to Goud, had detrimental effects on Telangana.
Goud further alleged a clandestine agreement between the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) concerning the Jubilee Hills by-election. He cautioned that casting a vote for the BRS in this context would essentially translate to a vote for the BJP.
Specifically, Mr. Goud claimed that the BJP deliberately nominated a less competitive candidate in Jubilee Hills as part of this secret pact with the BRS. He elaborated, stating, ‘The BRS assisted the BJP in securing eight seats during the Lok Sabha elections, and now, in reciprocation, the BJP is extending its support to the BRS.’
The TPCC president also pointed to a historical pattern, noting that former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had consistently supported the NDA government on various significant matters, including the Presidential elections and the Triple Talaq Bill. This, Goud contended, demonstrated a long-standing political alignment with the BJP. He asserted, ‘KCR’s influence was subtly present in every major decision made by the NDA government.’
Concluding his statements, Goud declared that the BRS has no genuine regard for democratic principles, recalling its five-year tenure without a single woman minister, which he termed a ‘disgraceful chapter in Telangana’s political history.’ He expressed confidence that the public supports the Congress, citing the party’s commitment to fulfilling most of its pre-election pledges.