JOIN USFrom 'stressful conditions' last week to 'brightness everywhere' now, Telangana Guv praises KCR govt
Just a week after she expressed serious concern over the “stressful conditions in the state, alarming number of suicides,” governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Friday said that Telangana is “progressing in a phenomenal manner on every front, under the skillful administration of CM K Chandrasekhar Rao.”
Far from being critical, Soundararajan's 2023 budget session inaugural address to the joint meeting of council and assembly members, reading out from the state government provided speech, was full of praise for the BRS regime.
Officials who were anxious about if Soundararajan would stick to the copy or not were a relieved lot. The session last year was held without the customary governor's address, a KCR government move that annoyed her.
“The inclusive and comprehensive development of Telangana has become a role model for the country. There was a time when the state suffered due to power cuts. Today, due to the efforts, hard work of my government, there is a 24 hour power supply and brightness, light everywhere. There was a time when the entire agriculture sector was distressed, today, the state is able to supply food to the rest of the country and has become the granary of the country ..." the governor's speech went on.
The turnaround in Soundararajan's stance, who has been severely critical of KCR's policies and actions especially in the last two years and in response was called a “BJP agent” by the BRS ministers, has surprised the political circles especially the opposition legislators.
Telangana Congress leaders said the Governor “should have made necessary amendments to the speech copy provided by the BRS government, after questioning the claims and verifying the statistics.”
“The governor's speech today was totally in opposition to her statements on the KCR government until yesterday. People want to know why this U-turn was taken,” said Mallu Ravi, a senior T Congress leader.
In her Republic Day address from the Raj Bhavan, skipped by the CM, Soundararajan stated that “everyone should have an equal share in the state's growth.”
“Development it is not a few possessing farm houses,” the governor had said in apparent attack on KCR, reaffirming the hostile relationship between the Raj Bhavan and Pragathi Bhavan, the chief minister's office.
The ill will was threatening to derail the state's annual budget presentation process as the governor withheld her consent compelling the government to knock on the Telangana high court's doors earlier this week.
The two apparently reached a compromise after the HC reportedly suggested them to arrive at an amicable solution.
While Soundararajan allowed the introduction of 2023-24 budget, to be presented on Monday, the KCR government accommodated the governor's speech on Friday.
KCR, who has been avoiding meetings with the governor, greeted her with a flower bouquet and accompanied her till the house chair inside.
The bonhomie nevertheless has left the political observers wondering how long the peace could last or if it is just a temporary ceasefire for carrying out the constitutional obligations.
Former TPCC President Uttam Kumar Reddy termed the Governor address as “factually incorrect, misleading. “
"Governor's address did not touch upon any problem being faced by the common people like the financial crisis, rising inflation, unemployment, agrarian crisis, neglect of education and health sectors, deteriorating Law & Order situation," Uttam said in a statement.
The Lok Sabha MP also disputed the claim that Telangana revenue increased to Rs 1.84 lakh crore.