Bad roads, power cuts plaguing Andhra Pradesh: KTR

YSRCP reacted sharply to KTR by saying generators are used in Hyderabad

Telangana IT, industries minister KT Rama Rao has sparked a controversy by commenting that people in neighboring Andhra Pradesh are suffering from power cuts, insufficient water supply, and bad roads.

Rao's remarks attracted sharp reactions from the YSRCP ministers who have asked him to mind his own state's business.

KTR, as Rao is better known, made the comments while speaking at the inaugural of a property show in Hyderabad on Friday.

“Ours is the only state that is providing 24-hour uninterrupted power for domestic, industrial and agriculture sectors,” KTR claimed.

KTR went on to comment on the situation in neighbouring AP, saying that one of his friends in Hyderabad had recently visited his native place and came back frustrated with the situation there.

“After Sankranti he returned to Hyderabad and called me. He asked me to arrange four buses from each Telangana village to send people to see for themselves the horrible situation in AP and realize what the government is doing here. There was no power, no water, and roads were in the worst shape. I could breathe easy again only after coming back to Hyderabad, he told me,” KTR said.

The TRS and YSRCP were on friendly terms when the TDP was in power in AP. But the bonhomie between the K Chandrasekhar Rao and Jaganmohan Reddy governments eroded with the resurfacing of issues like water and assets sharing between Andhra and Telangana under the bifurcation act.

The fresh comments of KTR, son of CM Rao, were lapped up by the opposition TDP in AP which has been accusing the Reddy government of failing in providing basic infrastructure needs like electricity, and roads.

YSRCP ministers however faulted KTR's remarks and Botcha Satyanarayana, a senior minister, demanded KTR withdraw his comments.

“KTR's feedback is from someone. My firsthand experience visiting Hyderabad frequently is that the city has power cuts. We are depending on generators,” Botcha, AP education minister, said while advising KTR not to talk irresponsibly.