Telangana polls: Only BRS can protect state, says CM KCR at election rally

Kodada (Telangana): Hitting out at the Congress party for never having protected the interests of Telangana when some of the irrigation projects were constructed during their tenures (in undivided Andhra Pradesh), BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said his party will protect the state like the armour of Karna.

Speaking at a rally here in the run-up to the November 30 Assembly elections, the Telangana Chief Minister KCR, seeking votes for his party's candidate, said the state has been progressing and became number one in several parameters such as per capita income and power.

Taking a dig at Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, KCR said he is talking in Telangana about Siddaramaiah-led government's five hours of free power to farmers where BRS government offers 24 hours free power to peasants.

"BRS protects Telangana like the legendary Karna's Kavach (from the Mahabharat). BRS was born for Telangana state, its development and to protect Telangana people and their rights," he said.

"Congress leaders never thought of irrigation projects that would benefit Telangana people," KCR hit out, referring to the Nagarjuna Sagar irrigation project.

Narrating the promises in the BRS manifesto, Rao said amounts for social pensions and Rythu Bandhu will be increased in a phased manner.

Rao said Telangana which used to witness drought and migrations, has been witnessing development owing to peace and tranquility.

"Telangana is number one in per capita income and per capita power consumption. Earlier the per capita power consumption now doubled to 2200 units from the earlier 1100 units," he added.

Without naming the Congress, he alleged the Muslims and Dalits were treated as vote-banks earlier.