Telangana Congress Committee president and Malkajgiri MP A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday asserted that he had never been a stooge of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, as is being alleged by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K T Rama Rao, but a colleague in the TDP.
“I began my political career much before I joined the TDP. In fact, I joined the TDP only after becoming an MLC. So, I was never a follower or disciple of Naidu; I was only his follower,” Revanth said, speaking to media at Gandhi Bhavan.
He said in fact, KCR had begun his political career as a follower of Naidu.
“He got his political birth only in the TDP,” the PCC chief said.
Stating that he had been committed to the Telangana cause right from the beginning, Revanth said he had always been in the forefront in fighting for Telangana.
“On the other hand, when KCR was with Chandrababu Naidu, he had opposed GO 610 and zonal system. He spoke in the assembly against them. KTR should listen to the speeches of KCR in the assembly in 1996,” he said.
Revanth recalled the statement of KCR made in the assembly on June 13, 2014 that Telangana had become a reality only because of Sonia Gandhi.
“How can he accuse the Congress and me of being against Telangana?” he asked.
The PCC chief reminded that he had stalled the Governor’s speech in the assembly in 2011 and got suspended from the House.
“I spoke on the injustice done to Telangana during the combined AP regime for 54 minutes in the assembly on January 24, 2014. I demanded that Telangana should be granted with Hyderabad as capital. Nobody can question my integrity,” he said, adding that he might have changed parties, but his stand on Telangana remained unchanged.
Revanth challenged that the BRS would not get more than 25 seats. That was why KCR was targeting the Congress.
“It was unfortunate that KCR and his team had made the assembly as a forum for dirty politics,” he criticised.
