Debate politics between BRS, Congress unfolds in Telangana

Hyderabad: The war of words between the ruling Congress and the BRS spilled over on to the ground on Tuesday, as Opposition leader K T Rama Rao, along with his party supporters, descended on the Press Club for a debate on farmers’ issues with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Reacting to Revanth Reddy’s earlier challenge for a debate on the state's welfare measures, Rama Rao had said he was ready to face him at the Press Club.

A large number of BRS leaders and workers, led by KTR, gathered at the venue, prompting city police to step up security.

"Chief Minister Revanth Reddy didn’t issue the challenge just once but four to five times publicly, inviting us to a debate. We’ve raised these issues in the Assembly several times. But they never allow proper discussions, and even when they do, we aren’t given a chance to speak," Rama Rao alleged.

He added that Revanth Reddy had dared either BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao or KTR to come for a discussion on what the Congress had done for farmers’ welfare compared to the BRS regime.

"We accepted the challenge, but no one from the government showed up," he said.

"Even if the Chief Minister couldn’t attend the debate, we expected a responsible representative—be it the Deputy Chief Minister, Agriculture Minister, or someone else—to turn up. But it's now clear that Revanth Reddy is only interested in ‘rachcha’ (creating noise), not ‘charcha’ (debate)," Rama Rao claimed.

The BRS working president also alleged that the opposition was not given adequate time in the Assembly to speak on farmers' issues.

He further claimed that 600 farmers have died in Telangana since the Congress came to power.

Reiterating that his party is ready for a debate on any issue, Rama Rao said the Chief Minister should apologise to Chandrasekhar Rao for making false allegations that farmers suffered under the previous government.