Hyderabad: Minister K.T. Rama Rao was in his elements in the Legislative Assembly on Sunday, leading the ruling party from the front in the absence of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Legislative affairs minister T. Harish Rao from the House. While the CM skipped the House, Mr Harish Rao is in Delhi to attend an official programme.
While the entire Opposition joined hands to corner the government over drought and other issues, Mr Rama Rao came to the ruling party’s rescue with his oratory skills.
Though senior ministers were present in the House, the combined Opposition led by K. Jana Reddy pushed the treasury benches into a defensive mode with their sharp remarks on government's failure to tackle the drought situation and to provide copies of Demands on Grants in advance to members.
Even as the treasury benches watched helplessly, Mr Rama Rao took the mike and launched a counterattack on the Opposition. He reminded how the TRS leaders had fought for compensation for farmers hit by Cyclone Nilam in 2012 and were laughed at.
“Despite Seemandhra CMs openly discriminating against Telangana, you kept mum then to save your Cabinet posts. It’s an irony that you are talking now about Telangana farmers,” Mr Rama Rao said, adding that even other leaders did not bother to fight for the interests of Telangana farmers.
Siddipet civic Body polls on April 6
Following dismissal of petitions by the Hyderabad High Court, State Election Commissioner V. Nagireddy on Sunday announced the schedule for the Siddipet Municipal Council polls and fixed April 6 as the polling day.
Siddipet in Medak district, presently being represented by irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, will go for polls for 34 wards, comprising 88,982 voters. Under the revised rules, filing of nominations will begin from Monday (March 21) and end on Wednesday (March 23).
Scrutiny of papers will take place on Thursday (March 24) and withdrawal of nominations will end on Friday (March 25). Counting of votes will take place on April 11.
