TPCC chief Mahesh Goud writes open letter to KCR

Hyderabad: Congress leader and MLC B Mahesh Kumar Goud completed 100 days as Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president on Sunday. On the occasion, he wrote an open letter to the leader of Opposition and BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Here are the contents of the letter written by Mahesh Goud to KCR:

I am writing this open letter to you, a leader with immense political experience, intending to draw your attention to pressing issues regarding the current political situation in Telangana. This letter coincides with the completion of one year of Congress governance in the State and seeks to address the unfounded allegations made by your Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders against our government.

Your BRS party, which prides itself on being a movement party with a history spanning six decades of struggle, suffered significant setbacks during its 10 years of rule in Telangana. Despite coming to power twice by riding on the wave of sentiment, you left the people disillusioned and in despair through your style of governance. Instead of being accessible from the Secretariat, the nerve centre of administration, you confined yourself to your farmhouse, allowing corruption to flourish unchecked. Even after the people ended your divisive, sentiment-driven regime, neither you, your family members, nor your party leaders seem to have introspected or changed your ways.

Misinformation against Congress government

Your party continues to spread misinformation about the Congress government, ignoring the historical truth that Telangana’s formation resulted from the sacrifices of marginalised groups and the steadfast support of Sonia Gandhi. The people of Telangana, who cherish these facts, will no longer tolerate such false narratives. If you persist in this approach, they will respond to you appropriately when the time comes.

You came to power by manipulating emotions in the newly formed Telangana State, only to betray your promises from the outset. You pledged to make a Dalit the first Chief Minister of Telangana but instead exploited the emotions of the people and manoeuvred yourself into power. Your campaign promises of water, funds, and jobs turned out to be hollow, and your governance was marked by false assurances. Those who contributed to the Telangana movement—poets, artists, intellectuals, students, workers, and employees—were sidelined as you established a family rule, tightening the State’s reins around your inner circle. The people of Telangana will not forget the injustices inflicted under your administration.

Where were the jobs for Telangana youth?

During the Telangana movement, the youth protested in large numbers, hoping that statehood would bring jobs. Instead, your family orchestrated drama in the name of 'Deeksha,' exploiting their sacrifices. Harish Rao, your son-in-law, even encouraged innocent youth to self-immolate, staging scenes with petrol cans and matches. The youth, desperate for employment, were misled by your promises of government jobs for every household. Once in power, however, you ensured that political opportunities were confined to your family members. Job notifications issued during your rule were either delayed or derailed through court cases filed by your followers, leaving irregularities and chaos in the recruitment process, from Class 10 exams to Group-1 services.

In contrast, the Congress government released a job calendar in its first year in power, fulfilling its promise. We successfully conducted recruitment exams and filled over 54,000 government positions—a record in the country. Despite your party's attempts to disrupt this process by provoking youth and stalling exams on technical grounds, the Congress government completed these tasks, prioritising youth employment. Yet, your family members and party leaders continue to level baseless accusations against us, undermining our achievements.

The slogan of "water," another pillar of the Telangana movement, was equally betrayed during your tenure. Instead of completing pending projects, you prioritised the Kaleshwaram project, a scheme rife with corruption. You proudly claimed to be the designer of Kaleshwaram, sidelining engineers, and are now responsible for its substandard construction and operational failures. The project, which could have been a lifeline for Telangana, has instead become an ATM for your family and allies. While you failed to deliver irrigation water to the farmers, the Congress government facilitated the record production of 153 lakh metric tonnes of paddy on 66.76 lakh acres during this Kharif season.

Telangana mired in debts

Your accusations of financial mismanagement ring hollow when we examine the corruption and fiscal irresponsibility during your rule. Projects, flyovers, and the Dharani portal were all mired in scandals, leading to the looting of lands belonging to the poor. Telangana, which began as a surplus state with Rs 16,000 crores, was left with a staggering debt of Rs 7 lakh crores after your 10-year regime. Today, we face monthly repayments of Rs 6,500 crores due to the debts you accumulated, leaving future generations to bear this burden.

The Congress government fulfilled the promises of the 'Warangal Declaration', unveiled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Ji, for farmers. During your tenure, the loan waiver process was a farce, leaving lakhs of farmers in distress. In contrast, our government waived loans up to Rs 2 lakhs, benefitting 25 lakh farmers and disbursing Rs 21,000 crores. We introduced crop insurance and compensated over 94,000 farmers for losses due to untimely rains. These initiatives stand in stark contrast to the neglect and inefficiency that defined your administration.

Your disregard for Telangana's culture and traditions is evident in your failure to install the Telangana Thalli statue during your decade in power. The Congress government rectified this by unveiling a culturally reflective statue, yet your party criticised its appearance instead of acknowledging its significance. Your removal of “Telangana” from your party's name further highlights your indifference to the State’s identity.

Telangana women neglected

Women were also neglected under your rule, as demonstrated by the lack of a single woman minister in your first cabinet. In contrast, the Congress government implemented the "Mahalakshmi" scheme, offering free RTC bus travel, subsidised electricity, and gas cylinders, benefitting 50 lakh families. We also expanded health insurance to Rs. 10 lakh per family. Your government, in comparison, failed to address the challenges faced by women or promote their welfare.

Your son, KTR (KT Rama Rao), continues to mislead the public, making baseless accusations against Congress initiatives. From the Musi Riverfront project to the metro rail, your administration left behind a legacy of broken promises and incomplete works. While KTR and other family members criticise the Congress government, their hypocrisy is evident, as their tenure was marked by widespread corruption and inefficiency.

It is time for you, with your political experience, to fulfil your role as the Leader of the Opposition by participating in the Assembly and offering constructive advice. Restricting yourself to your farmhouse while criticising the Congress government’s welfare initiatives only highlights the disconnect between your party and the people’s aspirations. Telangana’s people, who endured 10 years of your family’s misrule, now recognise the transformative changes brought about by Congress and will not be swayed by baseless propaganda.