Hyderabad: BJP LP leader Aleti Maheswar Reddy stated that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy publicly acknowledged the severe financial difficulties facing the State, describing it as bankrupt. He accused the BRS regime of a decade of misrule that has become a burden for Telangana.

In an informal conversation with media representatives on Friday, Maheswar Reddy noted that the Chief Minister had shared State revenues and expenditure. However, neither Finance Minister Bhatti Vikramarka nor Deputy Chief Minister showed any response to these issues. Even amid criticism from both BRS and BJP leaders regarding the Chief Minister’s handling of the financial situation, Bhatti Vikramarka displayed little interest in providing a counter-argument.

This indifference suggests a significant rift between Deputy CM Bhatti and CM Revanth Reddy. Minister Tummala Nageswar Rao spoke in the Vikarabad Assembly about the surplus of ration cards, claiming there are more ration cards than families in the state.

He argued that with one crore and ten lakh families compared to one crore and fifty lakh ration cards, welfare schemes should be scaled back so that only those in need receive benefits. This position contradicts Revanth Reddy’s policies at the high command, resulting in a noticeable decline in his image within the party.

An example, according to the BJP MLA, is that when Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, visited Hyderabad, he left for Delhi without meeting CM Revanth Reddy. For the past two to three months, CM Revanth Reddy has openly expressed concerns about the state’s financial status, yet the ministers have remained silent.

The Chief Minister believes it is important to inform the public that the state has no income and thus cannot fulfill the election promises. However, Congress ministers fear that this acknowledgment will damage the government’s reputation and lead to irreparable harm within the party. CM Revanth is reportedly contemplating declaring a financial emergency to convey to the public that the state faced financial devastation during the ten years of BRS rule. He is considering implementing the farmer assurance scheme under this emergency while reducing or scrapping the fee reimbursement scheme, arguing that these measures are necessary to fulfill the promises. Reports indicate intense discussions among CM Revanth Reddy and his ministers about imposing a financial emergency. However, there is no consensus due to continued debates and disagreements.

Allegations have surfaced that the Congress high command is dissatisfied with reports from senior ministers regarding their treatment by CM Revanth Reddy. Nonetheless, since the government was formed only a year and a half ago, there is no urgency to change the Chief Minister. However, there are considerations regarding a potential shift in leadership, which may explain the lack of serious efforts to expand the cabinet.