Telangana CM not for confrontation with Centre, calls PM 'elder brother'

Adilabad (Telangana), March 4: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday said that the state government does not want confrontation with the Centre and called Prime Minister Narendra Modi an "elder brother".

Sharing the dais with the Prime Minister at the launch of development works in Adilabad, Revanth Reddy said that the state government has no intention of a confrontation with the Centre and would like to work together for the state’s development.

"If there is a clash between the Centre and states the people will suffer. Politics should be only during elections. After the elections, the elected public representatives should work for the state’s development with the help of the Centre," he said.

Unlike his predecessor K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who was not receiving the PM on his visits to the state for the last couple of years, Revanth Reddy reached Adilabad to welcome the PM and attended the official programme.

This was PM Narendra Modi’s first visit to Telangana after the Congress came to power in the state.

Revanth Reddy stated that his government gives respect to those who hold constitutional posts.

"For us, Prime Minister means elder brother. If there is support from the elder brother, every CM in his state can carry forward development. If Telangana is to develop like Gujarat, your help is needed," he said, adding that Hyderabad as one of the five metropolitan cities in the country would also like to contribute to the PM's goal of a $5 trillion economy.

He recalled that after assuming office as the Chief Minister, he met the Prime Minister and requested him to fulfill the commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 and also discussed other issues related to the state.

The Chief Minister thanked the PM for his cooperation for the development works in Telangana, especially transfer of defence lands in Hyderabad for construction of skyways. He sought the Centre’s assistance for expansion of Metro Rail, Musi riverfront development, and for establishing semiconductor industry.

He also requested the Prime Minister to help the state in construction of Tummidi Hatti project in Adilabad district, which will irrigate 1.50 lakh acres of land.

Referring to inauguration of NTPC’s 800 MW (Unit-2) of Telangana Super Thermal Power Project in Peddapalli, Revanth Reddy said as per the promise made at the time the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the installed capacity of NTPC thermal power project should be 4,000 MW but due to the previous government's inefficiency, only 1,600 MW was generated.

He announced that the state government will give all required permissions for the remaining 2,400 MW of power generation.