‘Governance resembles Tughlaq rule and Pragati Bhavan is more like gadi’

Sending a clear signal of their intention to leave the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), Warangal firebrand leader Konda Surekha and her husband Konda Murali, MLC, lashed out at Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao stating that just the family of four members are ruling the State and those questioning their “autocracy” are being hounded.

At a press conference here, Ms. Surekha said all public representatives feel insulted with the Chief Minister’s behaviour and a women legislator like her could not get an appointment despite several attempts.

“The party has a responsibility to explain why Ms. Surekha was denied ticket despite getting 69% support in the party’s survey,” Mr. Murali asked.

Errabelli faulted

“Those with just 33% of support in the surveys were given tickets. Let the party reveal the survey reports,” he said and blamed Mr. Errabelli Dayakar Rao for the insults heaped on them. He alleged that the TRS is a party of four people and they run the party and the government like “feudal lords”.

“The self-respect of our Backward Classes is hit by the Chief Minister and we cannot tolerate this,” she said.

Alleging that the governance resembles the ‘Tughlaq rule’, she said Pragati Bhavan is more like a gadi with common man and public representatives having no access. “When Mr. Rao accuses Congress leaders of waiting for four months to get an appointment with Sonia Gandhi, he should realise that he has not given appointment to his own MLAs for four years,” she said.

Open letter

Ms. Surekha also released an open letter to the Chief Minister raising several issues like the promises made to the people during the movement and in the government, and forgetting them. She said the Bangaru Telangana benefits were confined to the Chief Minister’s family members. She demanded release of a white paper on the allocations to each department in the last four years and who were awarded the contracts for those works.

KTR blamed

She also targeted the IT Minister, K.T. Rama Rao, alleging that he was involved in settlements of properties and said several houses were occupied by his benamis. She said files not related to contractors and beneficial to people were shelved. She also took objection to the way the Chief Minister ridicules people like Mr. Kodandaram, forgetting his contribution in Telangana movement. Mr. Murali refused to reveal the future plans and said several parties are in touch with them but they would come back after 10 days with their final decision.