Telangana's minister for industry and information technology K. T. Rama Rao on Thursday said the state government will deal with an iron hand those who try to create law and order problems and damage the brand image of Hyderabad.
Stating that Telangana with Hyderabad as the economic engine marching ahead on the path of progress, he said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government will not tolerate any attempt to disturb the communal harmony and peace in the city.
Addressing a 'meet the press' event organised by Hyderabad Press Club in connection with the elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the minister claimed that some forces are hatching conspiracies to create communal disturbances to push the city back to the days of bomb blasts and curfew.
Pointing out that Hyderabad attracted Rs.2 lakh crore investment during last six years due to the progressive policies, political stability and better law and order, he said the state can't afford to lose the gains it accrued from economic development.
Though confident of TRS retaining power in GHMC despite losing Dubbak Assembly seat to BJP in the recent by-elections, the TRS working president dropped enough hints that BJP is going to be the main rival for the ruling party.
"Politics is not static. It's dynamic," he said when asked why TRS giving importance to BJP which lost deposit in 100 out of 119 Assembly seats in the previous elections.
A day after Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao declared war against BJP and announced his plans to bring non-NDA parties on a common platform, his son Rama Rao slammed the saffron party saying it has done nothing in last six years except raking up issues like Hindu-Muslim and India-Pakistan.
"We are seeking public mandate on the basis of the development during last six years. People should decide if they want development or anarchy, divisive politics or decisive policies," said KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly known.
Listing out the steps taken by the government for the development of the city, he said Rs.67,000 crore were spent on improving the infrastructure without imposing any burden on people.
Referring to the rapid strides made by Hyderabad in information technology, he said four out of five top global tech companies made the city base for their second biggest global operations in the world.
KTR said the TRS government overcame the problem of drinking water, electricity and made Hyderabad cleanest city among metros. The government launched various initiatives like Strategic Road Development Programme and was embarking on second phase of Hyderabad Metro, development of satellite townships along Outer Ring Road and Pharma City.
The TRS leader also clarified that TRS has no alliance with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) or any other party and that it is contesting all 150 divisions in Greater Hyderabad. "In the previous election we won five divisions in the old city and this time we will win 10-12 seats there," he said.
He rubbished the claims that TRS is planning to gift the mayor's post to AIMIM. "Why a party with over 100 seats should give mayor's post to other party. A woman candidate belonging to TRS will become the mayor on December 4," he said.
KTR slammed BJP government at the Centre for not giving even a rupee for flood relief. He alleged that the Centre ignored Telangana's request for assistance while it provided all help to Karnataka and Guajarat after the floods in those states.
He claimed that the state government provided Rs.650 crore to people affected by heavy rains and floods in Hyderabad and surrounding municipalities. He assured that if there are any more affected families left they will get the assistance after GHMC polls.
The TRS leader challenged BJP leaders to show at least one work their government at the Centre has done in Hyderabad. "I will show 100 works which TRS government has done in Hyderabad. Let them show at least one work they have done," he said while reiterating that the BJP can't do anything except whipping up communal passions.
He said due to the policies of BJP government at the Centre, the country's economy witnessed slowdown for eight consecutive quarters and from slowdown, they pushed the economy into lockdown and from lockdown into recession.