BJP 'trying' to win polls through SIR, should be prevented from gaining power in Telangana: CM

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday accused the BJP of trying to win elections through SIR of electoral rolls and said that the saffron party should be prevented from gaining power in the state.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday accused the BJP of ''trying'' to win elections through SIR of electoral rolls and said that the saffron party should be prevented from gaining power in the state. Speaking at an event where he flagged off buses carrying Haj pilgrims, without naming the BJP, he said what happened in West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other states should not be allowed to happen in Telangana. ''... we should come together against those who are trying to attack us in the name of Special Intensive Revision (SIR), those who want to run government. They are not getting anything here in a straightforward manner. So, they are trying to get it by craftiness. It is our responsibility to identify those who use craftiness,'' he said. The BJP's intention is to secure Hyderabad by any means, he said. The Congress has stopped BJP from gaining strength in southern states, including Telangana, Karnataka and recently in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, though it is in power in Andhra Pradesh riding on the back of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, he said. ''We should not allow them (BJP) into Telangana. Collectively, we need to stop them. I will stand ahead in stopping such designs,'' he said. In a veiled attack on the BRS and BJP, he said there has been a tacit understanding between the two parties. Stating that Hindus and Muslims are like his two eyes, Reddy said the Congress government stands with the Muslims whenever there is a need. When the Centre recently increased the air travel fares at the ''last minute'' ahead of Haj, the state government decided to bear the additional cost of Rs 10,000 for 7,000 Haj pilgrims, he said. Recalling the ghastly bus accident which claimed 44 lives of Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia last year, he said the state government supported the bereaved families by providing a compensation of Rs five lakh to the family of each deceased person. The chief minister said the government has decided to provide free retrofitting services to all auto-rickshaws operating within the boundary of Hyderabad's Outer Ring Road, thereby converting them into electric autos (EVs). This initiative will result in significant cost savings for auto drivers, especially the poor minorities, he said. Reddy said that the government is upgrading ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) into ATCs (Advanced Training Centers) to provide skill training to the youth and make them compete in the competitive world as there is a higher demand for blue-collar jobs compared to white-collar jobs in countries like Germany and Japan than in the United States.