Congress spreading falsehood: Harish

​Hyderabad: Congress ticket aspirant from Gajwel Vanteru Pratap Reddy’s sensational comments on Minister for Irrigation T Harish Rao have caused ripples in political circles in Telangana State. Pratap Reddy claimed that Harish Rao is in touch with AICC president Rahul Gandhi and is set to join the Congress in a month as he is vexed with internal politics in the TRS.

While the TRS leadership were left shell-shocked by claims of the Congress leader, Harish Rao and other Medak leaders embarked on damage-control exercise. The Minister skewered the Pratap Reddy for spreading “falsehood.” He also sought unconditional apology from the Congress leader.

It all started with Pratap Reddy claiming that Harish Rao had telephoned the former from an unknown number and asked him to ensure the defeat his uncle (referring to K Chandrashekar Rao) in Gajwel. The Minister also promised financially help to him, the Congress leader said.

“Harish said that he has no future in politics if KCR wins again. I have worked for 14 years in the party and now there is no respect for me. Now the Chief Minister wants to hand over the party to K T Rama Rao,” Pratap Reddy said. Pratap Reddy claimed that there were efforts to remove Harish from the TRS.

This has led to Harish coming into contact with AICC president Rahul Gandhi. He said within a month Harish would leave the TRS to join the Congress.

Harish spoke about Chief Minister’s plan to hold 100 public meetings in 50 days, but later confined himself to the farm house as he understood that TRS would lose. Harish complained that he was not being given due respect as the leadership was trying to promote KTR.

Pratap Reddy said that he had declined the offer of financial help. He said the Gajwel voters would ensure his victory without distribution of liquor and biryani. The Congress leader said the survey conducted by former MP L Rajagopal found that 65 per cent of Gajwel voters are in his favour.

Stung by Pratap Reddy’s remarks, Harish Rao challenged the Congress leader either prove his allegation or tender an unconditional apology.

“People in Gajwel very well know about him. He changed the showing his opportunistic attitude. The Congress and its candidates are playing shameless and petty politics as they are worried about defeat in elections,” Harish said. The TRS leader reiterated that he entered politics through TRS and would die in that party.

“This I repeated many a time in the past and would say once again. I condemn remarks made by Pratap Reddy,” Harish said.