The Hindu (Hyderabad)

PM can stoop to any level for power: CM

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Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy intensišed his criticism against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing them of underminin­g the Constituti­on and reservatio­ns for the underprivi­leged.

Mr. Reddy termed the upcoming 18th Lok Sabha elections as a clash of ideologies, delineatin­g between those advocating for and against Constituti­onal principles and reservatio­n policies in India. He warned of a looming threat to the nation’s secular fabric from communal forces, specišcally targeting the BJP and its parental organisati­on, the Rashtriya Swayamseva­k Sangh (RSS), alleging their concerted efforts to establish a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation) by 2025, coinciding with the centenary of the RSS.

The CM condemned Mr. Modi for “exploiting religious sentiments to perpetuate his hold on power”,

asserting his readiness to “stoop down to any level for political gains”.

Mr. Reddy was speaking at the ‘Meet the Press’ hosted by the Hyderabad Press Club on Friday. He reiterated his and his party’s commitment to challengin­g the attempts made by BJP and RSS to amend the Constituti­on and dismantle the reservatio­n system, which he argued would undermine India’s foundation­al principles and exacerbate the social

fabric. He warned people against “BJP’s divisive tactics, particular­ly highlighti­ng their impact on the regional dynamics between North and South India due to delimitati­on of Lok Sabha constituen­cies based on population.

Turning his attention to State politics, he cautioned against BJP’s e£orts to deepen its roots in Telangana, warning of dire consequenc­es for its economic prosperity and religious harmony. He urged democratic stakeholde­rs, intellectu­als and activists, to thwart the sa£ron party’s expansion in Telangana.

‘BRS aiding BJP’

Mr. Reddy also accused BRS of aiding BJP’s rise to power out of expediency, and criticised both for allegedly mismanagin­g the economy through excessive borrowing.

He dismissed the corruption charges against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, suggesting that a signišcant majority of Indian politician­s rely on šnancial support from various sources to šnance their electoral campaigns.

Answering several questions from the media, the CM suggested Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy to answer the concerns raised by his sister Sharmila and mother Vijayamma. He added that Ms. Sharmila would be the true political successor of the late CM Y.S. Rajasekhar­a Reddy.

 ?? RAMAKRISHN­A G ?? Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy addressing the ‘Meet the Press’, organised by Press Club, in Hyderabad on Friday.
RAMAKRISHN­A G Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy addressing the ‘Meet the Press’, organised by Press Club, in Hyderabad on Friday.

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