Hyderabad: Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister for Home sounded a poll bugle in a massive public meeting in poll-bound Munugode Assembly constituency of Nalgonda district in Telangana on Sunday. Amit Shah asserted that the Modi government will be committed to the development of Munugode. He explained that Rajagopal Reddy's joining the BJP does not mean that a leader has joined. This is the beginning of overthrowing the KCR government. Amit Shah emphasised that the BJP government will come to power in Telangana.
He revealed that after the formation of the BJP government, September 17 will be celebrated officially. He said that if you vote for TRS in the elections, either KCR or KTR will become the CM, but a Dalit cannot become the Chief Minister. Amit Shah said that if KCR, his son, daughter and son-in-law were in office, BJP does not have any problem, but why should people suffer because of their family rule? he asked.
"Rajagopal Reddy's joining the party is not like a leader joining, but the is the beginning of KCR's government being thrown into the sea. If Rajagopal Reddy wins, KCR's government will disappear. KCR is not celebrating Liberation Day because he is afraid of MIM. Has KCR kept his word that he will make a Dalit as CM? How many families were given Dalit Bandhu in Huzurabad? Did you fulfil your promise to give three acres of land to Dalits? KCR is seriously deceiving the farmers. Farmers are suffering because of the non-implementation of PM's crop insurance in Telangana. If BJP comes to power in the state, we will buy every grain. The Kaleshwaram project has become an ATM for the KCR's family. If all the states have reduced petrol and diesel prices twice, KCR has not reduced them. Due to KCR's attitude, the price of petrol and diesel is highest in Telangana," Amit Shah pointed out.
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Battle lines are drawn for the Munugodu Assembly bypoll as ruling TRS and BJP are leaving no stone unturned to romp home. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who addressed a public meeting in Mundugode on Saturday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the Centre is not allocating funds for Telangana.
KCR dared Amit Shah to answer as to why the Centre has not yet decided on the Krishna river water sharing formula for the state. He alleged that the Centre has not decided on the share of river water even after eight years after the formation of a separate state for Telangana. TRS and BJP are taking the Munugode Assembly bypoll as a prestige issue as the outcome of the election is likely to give a perceptual edge to the winner ahead of next year's Assembly elections.
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As Congress is keen on retaining the seat while the BJP wants to prove that it is the "alternative" to the TRS by emerging victorious. However, the TRS was pooling all resources to clinch the Munugode seat to prove that the people are with the ruling party. Sources in the saffron party said Raj Gopal Reddy would be contesting as its candidate. Both Congress and TRS are yet to decide their candidates.
The BJP in Telangana. which is on a winning streak by defeating the ruling party in Dubbak and Huzurabad Assembly bypolls. Similarly, it put up a decent performance in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections during the last two years. While BJP is banking on anti-incumbency votes and the alleged "family rule" of KCR, the TRS is exuding confidence in winning the seat by showcasing the welfare and development schemes that the state government has been implementing for the past eight years.
According to the 2018 Assembly poll statistics, Munugode has 2,17,791 voters. Rajgopal Reddy polled 97,239 votes defeating his nearest TRS rival K Prabhakar Reddy by a majority of 22,552 votes. BJP candidate G Manohar Reddy secured 12,725 (6.4 per cent of the total votes polled).
