The conclusion of the debate on budget in the Assembly witnessed angry exchanges between TRS Ministers T. Harish Rao and Eatala Rajender on one side and Congress floor leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on the other on Thursday.
It all started with Finance Minister T. Harish Rao pointing out in his reply to the debate that Mr. Vikramarka had misled the House on government’s performance during the latter’s turn to air his views the previous day. Mr. Rao demanded an unconditional apology from the Congress leader.
Seeking clarifications to Mr. Rao’s speech, Mr. Vikramarka accused the TRS government of slashing the budget on welfare of SCs, STs, BCs and minorities in the coming year by ₹ 1,269 crore. He sought to know from the Minister the role of the government in the last six years though the TRS rode to power on the crest of people’s disenchantment with rulers in the erstwhile State. He reminded the treasury benches that the Opposition leaders were elected to Assemblies only to confront governments on their lapses.
Before the TRS formed government, it was the Congress regime that constructed Sriramsagar, upper, mid and lower Manair Dams, Yellampally and Kaddam projects. The water from Kaleswaram project which the TRS boasted of constructing, flowed through the canal network of the above projects.
Except Yadadri and Bhadradri power projects, the TRS government did not construct any thermal stations. Even these projects were not completed.
Mr. Vikramarka wondered whether the government was spending private money so as to be selective. This irked Mr. Harish Rao to recall instances of Congress leaders from Telangana working hand in glove with their counterparts from Andhra in united State. Separately, Health Minister Eatala Rajender also joined the issue with Mr. Vikaramarka over the latter’s comments on Wednesday that the government favoured a few big players in poultry industry in allotment of maize as feed. He blamed Mr. Vikramarka for falsely painting an alarming picture.