In a fierce war of words between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KT Rama Rao, the working president of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), over the outcome of the Telangana assembly elections, Siddaramaiah took a dig at the BRS party's defeat. This prompted a sharp response from KTR, who accused the Congress of "shamelessly misleading" the people with fake promises.
The exchange intensified as they traded accusations regarding unfulfilled guarantees and questioned the credibility of election pledges.
On Tuesday, KTR highlighted the unfulfilled guarantees made by Congress during the campaign and questioned, "Are these promises fake, or are your party leaders who promised these schemes fake?"
In a post reply to CM Siddaramaiah on X, KTR said, "Dear Sri Siddaramaiah Garu, We've lost the election because your party shamelessly misled the people of Telangana with fake promises."
He outlined the unmet assurances, including Rythu Bharosa for farmers, tenant farmers, and farm labourers, a Rs 500 Gas Cylinder, and Rs 2500 promised to every woman which were among the guarantees of the Congress party during electioneering.
Additionally, KTR questioned the delay of the Mega DSC announcement and the provision of legal sanctity to the six guarantees, both promised in the first cabinet.
"Dec 9th, 2023 has passed, but where is the: Rythu Bharosa promised to farmers, tenant farmers and farm labourers, Rs 2 Lakhs Farm Loan Waiver, Rs 4000 welfare pension, Rs 500 Gas Cylinder, Rs 2500 your party had promised to every woman, Mega DSC announcement in first cabinet, Providing legal sanctity to 6 guarantees in first cabinet. Are these promises fake or your party leaders who promised these schemes fake?" KTR said in a post.
KTR also hit back at CM Siddaramaiah for the drubbing the Congress received in the Hindi heartleand in the just concluded assembly polls. "Also care to explain why you lost elections in three other states?" KTR added.
Siddaramaiah in an earlier post had referred to the BRS as a "B team of BJP" after KTR shared an old video in which the Chief Minister was seen purportedly saying "Where should we get money to fulfil promises? We say a lot of things during the elections."
KTR had posted on 'X', "No money to deliver poll promises/guarantees says Karnataka CM! Is this the future template for Telangana too after successfully hoodwinking the people in elections? Aren't you supposed to do basic research and planning before making outlandish statements?"
Responding to this, Siddaramaiah said, "Mr. @KTRBRS, Do you know why your party lost in the Telangana Elections? Because you don't even know how to verify what is fake and edited, and what is truth."
"@BJP4India creates fake edited videos, and your party circulates them. Yours is a perfect B Team of BJP," he added.
Congress won an absolute majority in Telangana assembly polls for the first time, winning 64 of 119 seats. Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which ruled Telangana for 10 years, could win 38 seats. BJP won eight seats and AIMIM got seven.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
