BRS would return to power after the Assembly elections: CM KCR

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao exuded confidence that the BRS would return to power after the Assembly elections, and there was no doubt about it. He stated that the BRS would undertake more development programmes in its third term, besides completing pending projects.

He was addressing a public meeting at Thummaluru village in Maheshwaram Assembly constituency on Monday after taking part in ‘Haritha Utsavam’, the mass plantation drive, being conducted across the state, as part of decennial celebrations of the state formation.

Rao showered sops on Ranga Reddy district on the occasion. He announced the extension of Hyderabad Metro Rail project to Kandukur in the district.

"Normally Metro Rail projects connect to airports. But the earlier rulers of Andhra Pradesh committed a blunder by designing a project which was not connected to the airport. We have now rectified this flaw by launching the Airport Metro Express project works to connect with the RGIA in Shamshabad. It will be further extended to Kandukur. BRS will come to power again this year and will take up more such development programmes," Rao stated.

He said Metro Rail will be extended from LB Nagar to BHEL, which is considered a high-density corridor.

The Chief Minister lashed out at Congress leaders for creating hurdles in the construction of Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation project by approaching the courts. He promised to bring Godavari water to Ranga Reddy district as there were disputes and delays in getting Krishna waters.

"The Palamuru project was supposed to be completed along with the Kaleshwaram project. But the Congress leaders



obstructed it by moving the courts. But we are overcoming all legal hurdles one after the other and moving ahead," the Chief Minister said.

"We have constructed a few reservoirs which will be filled by July or August. There are disputes with regard to Krishna water allocations but there is no such problem with Godavari waters. We are soon going to connect Himayatsagar and Osmansagar with the Kaleshwaram project and Godavari water will flow to Ranga Reddy district," he said.

Rao announced setting up of 20 forest stations on the lines of police stations to protect forest staff from attacks by smugglers and goons. He handed over an appointment letter to Bandi Bhagyalaxmi, wife of forest range officer Challamalla Srinivas Rao who was killed in Kothagudem by Guttikoya tribals in November 2022. Bhagyalaxmi has been appointed as deputy tahsildar on compassionate grounds.

The Chief Minister announced the setting up of  agovernment medical college in Maheshwaram constituency; Rs 1 crore for Thummaluru village for constructing a community hall; Rs 15 lakh special grant each to 65 gram panchayats; Rs 25 crore each to Jalpally and Tukkuguda municipalities and Rs 50 crore each to Badangpet and Meerpet municipal corporations.

Without naming the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Rao took potshots by comparing the development in both the states in the last nine years.

"When I fought for statehood, they mocked us saying that we can't do agriculture. They also said they taught us to eat rice. Today, they slipped to the eighth spot in paddy production while we are ranked number 1 in the country," Rao said.