Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar asserted that development in Telangana, “however modest”, has been possible only because of funds provided by the Central Government.

Speaking to the media on Friday after leading a bike rally at RTC Crossroads to promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting at Parade Grounds on May 10, Mr. Sanjay said that Telangana would not have progressed without Central support.

Accompanied by BJP Rajya Sabha member K. Laxman, he accused Congress leaders of diverting Telangana’s resources to their party leaders in Delhi. “While we bring funds from the Centre, Congress leaders are sending Telangana’s money to their high command,” he alleged.

The State would witness faster growth only under a double-engine government led by the BJP, he said, adding that the party’s sole aim is Telangana’s development. Aiming the BRS leadership, he criticised working president K.T. Rama Rao and asked him to “control his tongue”.

The BJP leader said that he does not know how to “loot” or “handcuff farmers” and had no role in any of the alleged scams during the BRS regime, such as the Kaleshwaram project, E-formula race, or power purchases. He blamed KTR’s alleged arrogance for diminishing former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s active role in politics, claiming that BRS has no chance of returning to power as it is the BJP which will be in contention in the next elections.

Grand welcome

Earlier in the day, BJP State president N. Ramchander Rao, along with senior leaders, inspected arrangements at the Parade Grounds venue for the Prime Minister’s visit. He urged people to attend the meeting in large numbers, claiming that the Modi government has allocated nearly ₹13 lakh crore to Telangana.