"Test Us Now": TPCC Mahesh Goud dares KCR to ‘Drug Test’ in council face-off

Hyderabad: In a high-octane session of the Telangana Legislative Council on Monday, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president and MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud threw down a political gauntlet, challenging BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) to undergo immediate drug testing.

This "White Challenge" took centre stage during the motion of thanks to the Governor’s Address, overshadowing traditional policy debates and highlighting the escalating war over the state's "drug culture."

The Farmhouse Raid

Goud’s aggressive stance follows the sensational weekend raid by the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) at a farmhouse in Moinabad. The raid, which involved gunfire and the seizure of cocaine, led to several high-profile individuals—including former BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy—testing positive for narcotics.

“Wasn't it your leaders who were caught at the farmhouse?” Goud asked, pointing toward the opposition benches. “Our Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy, is ready for a drug test this very second. I challenge KCR and all public representatives to do the same. If you have nothing to hide, let the medical teams into this House and let us all prove our innocence to the people of Telangana.”

Goud asserted that under the previous BRS regime, drugs "flowed like water," and the current administration is now tasked with "scrubbing the state clean" of a decade-long menace.

From "Debt-Ridden" to "Rising Telangana"

Transitioning from the drug controversy to the state's economy, Goud delivered a scathing critique of the previous government’s financial management. He noted a stark contrast in the state's ledger:

• The Handover: He reminded the House that "Soniyamma" (Sonia Gandhi) gifted a surplus Telangana with ₹16,000 crores in 2014.

• The Legacy: He accused the BRS of leaving behind a "mountain of debt" totalling ₹8 lakh crores.

Despite these hurdles, Goud praised the "18-hour workdays" of CM Revanth Reddy, stating that the government is laying the "bricks of a Rising Telangana" one by one.

A Global Vision: Beyond Bengaluru and Mumbai

The TPCC President highlighted the government’s recent "investment blitz," which he claims has placed Telangana on the world map:

• Telangana Rising Global Summit: Successfully attracted ₹5.75 lakh crores in investment commitments.

• BioAsia 2026: Secured an additional ₹1,700 crores, cementing Hyderabad’s status as a life-sciences hub.

"Our competition is no longer with Chennai, Bengaluru, or Mumbai," Goud declared. "Under this 'Indiramma Rajyam,' we are racing to match the standards of global giants like Tokyo, Singapore, and New York."

The "People-Centric" Shield

Goud concluded his address by defending Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla’s speech as a "true mirror" of the government’s success in farmer welfare, women’s empowerment, and youth employment. He dismissed the opposition's protests as a sign of their inability to witness the state’s rapid progress under the new leadership.