KCR welcomes Jeevan Reddy into BRS, makes him general secretary

Hyderabad: Former Congress minister and MLC T Jeevan Reddy joined Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the presence of party chief and Gajwel MLA K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) at the “BRS Praja Ashirwada Sabha” held in Jagtial on Monday, April 20.

Addressing the public meeting, KCR appointed Jeevan Reddy as the party’s general secretary with immediate effect and promised to give him a prominent position if BRS came to power.

KCR urged Jeevan Reddy to concentrate on Adilabad, Nizamabad and other neighbouring districts, leaving the fight in Jagtial to his followers in the constituency.

“When we met a few days ago, I told Jeevan Reddy that we would work like brothers in a family, like pillars of the party,” he said, assuring that BRS will come to power by 100 per cent.

He praised the veteran politician as a leader with a large following not just in Jagtial, but also in Choppadandi, Dharmapuri, Koratla, Peddapalli and other constituencies.

Will throw HYDRAA into the lake: KCR

KCR said that the first thing he would do if BRS came to power again, would be to remove the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA).

Strongly criticising HYDRAA for “demolishing the houses of the poor,” KCR reminded that during BRS’ tenure more than 40,000 minor irrigation tanks were restored without demolishing a single hut.

Questioning why the state government was bent on demolishing 15,000 houses for the Musi Riverfront Development Project, KCR felt that Musi rejuvenation was aimed at only “grabbing lands” through “goondagiri” and “atrocities.”

KCR questioned what happened to the Rythu Bandhu, Mission Bhagiratha, 24 hours free electricity, irrigation projects, and many other schemes launched by BRS.

“They (Congress) is holding a meeting in Kataram to release second phase of Rythu Bharosa funds, that too because I’m holding a public meeting here. Do I need to hold another public meeting for them to release the next phase of funds,” he quipped.

He reminded that during the BRS government the entire Rythu Bandhu amount for a crop season used to be disbursed into the accounts of farmers within 10 days.

He said that from sowing to procurement, every step of the process was severely affected in the Congress government.

KCR alleged that the Congress government didn’t do anything worth saying in irrigation, urban development and rural development. but perpetrated scams in Singareni coal projects and in civil supplies.

Talking about the prevailing real estate situation, KCR said that not only the land rates have come down, but though sellers were there, nobody was buying property under the Congress government.

He said retired pensioners, auto drivers, students, women, farmers and many sections were suffering under the Congress government.

Noting that BRS lost the 2023 assembly elections only by 1.7 percent votes, KCR said that time has come to perform another penance for rebuilding Telangana, for which he will be ready to work with all likeminded people.

Revanth should go, KCR should come: Jeevan Reddy

Addressing the gathering, Jeevan Reddy said, “Revanth should go, KCR should come,” and “Congress should go, BRS should come.”

“The state should become free from the Shani. It will only happen under the leadership of KCR,” Jeevan Reddy asserted.

Why Jeevan Reddy quit Congress

The move, which came on expected lines, has become inevitable for Jeevan Reddy, who had declared an all-out war against Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.

Last week, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao urged him to join forces with the BRS. The following day Reddy went to meet KCR at his farmhouse in Erravalli village and discussed politics.

For the past couple of years, Jeevan Reddy has been disgruntled with the Congress, the party he served for four decades. He alleged that Jagtial BRS MLA M Sanjay Kumar was interfering with the Congress’s affairs in the constituency, though he was still officially in the BRS.

Jeevan Reddy had alleged that even in the Jagtial municipal elections, Sanjay Kumar called the shots in selecting the Congress’s candidates, the municipal chairperson and the vice-chairperson.

He wrote to the Congress’s high command complaining about the humiliation he was being subjected to within the party. He also resigned to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) membership, along with the primary membership of that grand old party. He held a get-together with his followers in Jagtial, where he declared to fight against Revanth Reddy, and sought the support of his followers.