TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao has indicated that the government would not disappoint employees in the pay revision and reminded that the last Pay Revision Commission (PRC) had given 43% fitment, highest in the country.
Speaking to reporters here along with the party’s Hyderabad-RangaReddy- Mahabubnagar Graduate MLC constituency nominee Vani Devi, he defended her choice for the election saying despite being the late Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s daughter, she was a simple woman working for the society. She had all the credentials to be in the contest.
Mr. KTR said that compared to other candidates in the fray, Ms. Vani Devi was better in terms of her education and contribution to society through her educational institutions. She had made a name for herself in her own way.
The TRS surprised all the political parties by picking her at the last minute and the move is being seen not only to check BJP’s N. Ramchander Rao, a Brahmin candidate like Vani Devi, but also exploit the P.V. Narasimha Rao sentiment in his centenary year, which is being celebrated by the State government.
However, other political parties argue that TRS was sacrificing her for its political gains when employees, youngsters and students, who form the voters’ group in these elections, were apparently annoyed with the government.
But Mr. KTR at the press conference rejected the argument that the TRS had failed youngsters on jobs and said that 1.32 lakh jobs were given in the government sector in the last six years while Congress could fill up just 10,000 posts in Telangana from 2004-2014.
He said the perception being created was to mislead youngsters and students and he was ready for a debate on this issue. Apart from filling up jobs, the government has also enhanced the salaries for several groups after Telangana was formed, he argued.
Mr. KTR said that Mr. Ramchander Rao had no right to seek votes as he had not contributed anything in his term. In fact, the BJP was just harping on divisive agenda and despite being in power at the Centre, the State BJP had failed to get projects. In fact, they have scrapped the ITIR project meant to generate employment for lakhs.
The Municipal Minister also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of ₹15 lakh in all accounts, and said he did not get money but got 15 lakh abusive posts on his Twitter account from BJP supporters.
Ms. Vani Devi said she had a right to seek votes given her work in educational institutions and service organisations. “My father got an opportunity to become the PM when he wanted to retire from politics and I have got an opportunity in a similar stage,” she said.