Telangana CM Reddy accuses BRS leaders of ‘occult practices’ against Congress government

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has accused members of the ruling BRS party of engaging in “occult practices” aimed at undermining the Congress government. Speaking during a public meeting in Sangareddy town, Reddy specifically targeted BRS leader T Harish Rao, accusing him of visiting temples in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to perform rituals intended to bring about drought conditions, farmer distress, and the collapse of the Congress administration. Reddy questioned why Harish Rao had not disclosed the details of these temple visits or the alleged occult rituals on social media or other platforms. He challenged Rao to provide transparency regarding his activities, suggesting that such actions were part of a broader strategy to destabilize the Congress-led government. Reddy emphasized that such tactics were beneath the dignity of political leadership and called on the public to remain vigilant against attempts to manipulate emotions for political gain. In addition to the accusations against Harish Rao, Reddy criticized the BRS leadership for resorting to so-called “black magic” in their quest for power. He argued that these methods were not only unethical but also counterproductive, as they undermined the credibility of legitimate governance. The chief minister also took aim at BRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao, commonly referred to as KCR, challenging him to engage in a formal debate on the issues raised in the Legislative Assembly. Reddy highlighted several achievements of the Congress government, including the completion of the Yellampalli project on the Godavari and Krishna rivers, which had received sufficient water despite the effects of El Niño. This, he claimed, demonstrated the effectiveness of the Congress government’s policies in managing natural challenges. He further noted that the government had successfully filled 70,000 job vacancies within its first year in power, underscoring its commitment to creating employment opportunities for the youth. The chief minister also announced the distribution of over two lakh quintals of fine rice monthly through the Public Distribution System (PDS) to approximately 3.48 crore residents. He alleged that under the previous BRS regime, beneficiaries had not consumed the coarse rice distributed, instead using it for purposes such as poultry feed and in the production of beer and ethanol. Reddy claimed that this was evidence of mismanagement and corruption. Furthermore, Reddy pointed out that the Congress government had allocated ₹ 36,000 crore to 70 lakh farmers under the Rythu Bharosa investment support scheme, providing financial assistance directly into their bank accounts. He stressed that this initiative had significantly improved the economic conditions of rural households. Reddy also made a comparison between the housing initiatives of the Congress and BRS governments, stating that his administration had constructed seven lakh homes for the poor in just two years. He suggested that the Congress would focus on areas where “Indiramma” houses, low-cost housing units, had been built, while the BRS should concentrate on regions where it had constructed double-bedroom homes. He accused the BRS of failing to deliver on its promise of building affordable, spacious housing for the poor. Earlier, on August 4, Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud had alleged that Harish Rao had performed “kshudra puja,” a form of occult ritual, to prevent rainfall in the state with the goal of exploiting a potential drought for political advantage. Harish Rao responded by taking legal action against Goud, contesting the allegations. As of now, the BRS has not issued a direct response to Reddy’s claims, leaving the situation unresolved. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between the Congress and BRS parties in Telangana, with each side accusing the other of employing unscrupulous tactics to gain political traction. The outcome of this dispute will likely depend on further developments in both political and legal arenas.