Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) on Sunday issued a sharp challenge to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, demanding that he publicly commit to contesting future elections only after fully implementing the 420 promises and six guarantees made by the Indian National Congress (Congress) ahead of the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections. The remarks came at a meeting of key party workers from the Cantonment constituency in Hyderabad.

The Challenge and Its Context

KTR alleged that Revanth Reddy's recent declaration — that he would not contest elections if electricity meters were installed on agricultural pump sets — was another attempt to mislead voters. According to KTR, rather than making selective pledges, the Chief Minister should announce he will not seek public support until every promise made to the people of Telangana has been honoured.

He questioned why the Congress government was sidestepping accountability on commitments such as housing for the poor under the Indiramma Housing Scheme, welfare guarantees, and other pledges made during the Assembly campaign. KTR alleged that not a single major election promise had been implemented in over two-and-a-half years in office.

Farmers' DISCOM: Hidden Agenda, BRS Alleges

KTR trained his sharpest criticism on the proposed Farmers' DISCOM, a separate power distribution entity for the agricultural sector. He alleged that the initiative was designed with the sole objective of eventually withdrawing the 24-hour free electricity supply currently provided to farmers — a flagship welfare measure introduced by former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR).

'The real intention behind the Farmers' DISCOM is to dismantle the historic 24-hour free power supply introduced by KCR. The Congress government is trying to conceal its anti-farmer agenda while claiming that the initiative is intended to benefit farmers,' KTR said.

He recalled that Revanth Reddy had, while in opposition, stated that three hours of electricity was sufficient for farmers, and argued that the Farmers' DISCOM was an attempt to translate that position into policy. KTR described the proposal as 'a noose around the neck of Telangana's farming community.'

Power Sector Legacy and Congress Record

KTR invoked the history of Telangana's power sector to buttress his argument. He said Congress governments that ruled for six decades left the state with severe power shortages, forcing industries to declare power holidays and leaving farmers without adequate electricity. He credited KCR with transforming the sector within six months of assuming office and claimed KCR was the first leader in independent India's history to provide 24-hour free electricity to agriculture.

Notably, this is not the first time BRS has accused the Congress government of undermining the 24-hour free power policy — the allegation has been a recurring flashpoint between the two parties since the Congress came to power in late 2023.

Cantonment Constituency: Broken Promises, BRS Claims

Addressing workers from the Cantonment constituency directly, KTR alleged that during the Cantonment by-election campaign, ministers including Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy had promised 6,000 houses in the constituency. Despite two-and-a-half years in office, the government had not delivered a single house to residents of Cantonment or Hyderabad, he alleged.

BRS called on both farmers and urban residents of Telangana to resist what the party described as a conspiracy against the agricultural sector, urging vigilance against policies that could erode their welfare. With Assembly elections on the horizon, the political temperature in Telangana is set to rise further.