Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao offered to resign and walk away if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claims that the Centre contributed ₹1,600 out of the total ₹2,106 per month paid to social security pensioners in the State was proved right. The fact, however, was that the Central share out of the ₹11,000 crore spent by the Telangana government on pensions was a mere ₹105 crore per annum.
The State government paid ₹2,016 per month to 38.64 lakh beneficiaries, whereas the Centre gave only ₹200 per month to 6.95 lakh people. “The BJP can malign a government that was not upright but not the KCR government,” Mr. Rao said addressing a public meeting after inaugurating the Rythu Vedika here on Saturday.
Mr. Rao made the comments in the context of the BJP’s election campaign in the Dubbak Assembly by-election, which he said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi would win comfortably. Mr. Rao cited a few instances to caution farmers about false news being circulated on social media, and certain statements by leaders of political parties, particularly in the Dubbak by-poll.
“Shabir Ali, a Congress leader, burnt his field alleging losses of fine variety paddy and showed it as done by a farmer. It is not social media but anti-social media. And frauds and liars in Dubbak are saying that the Centre is contributing ₹1,600 to the Aasara pensions. But the fact is the State spends ₹11,000 crore and the Centre gives ₹105 crore for the same,” he said.
Mr. Rao further justified his figures as recorded by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and said, “Any man if proves me wrong, I will immediately resign as the Chief Minister and go home.”