The incoming Congress government will rename the Telangana Chief Minister’s camp office Pragati Bhavan as the ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Praja Bhavan’, said state Congress party president A Revanth Reddy on Sunday, December 3. Addressing the media after defeating the outgoing K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR)-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, Revanth Reddy, taking a shot at KCR, said that everyone will have access to it. Pragati Bhavan since 2014, after the BRS took over, became KCR’s bastion and has always been heavily guarded by the police, with the public having no access to the Chief Minister.
“It is not Pragati Bhavan, it is a people's bhavan. Everyone will have an entry in it. Today democracy has been restored and we pay tributes to Srikanth chary. I am thankful to the people of Telangana who decided to give us power to realise their aspiration,” said Revanth Reddy after the Congress’s win. At the time of writing this report, the Congress was leading in 63 seats out of 119, while the BRS was leading in 40 seats.
Revanth’s Srikanth Chary was one of the people who had given up their lives to achieve the statehood of Telangana. He had set himself on fire back in 2009, when the protests demanding bifurcation from Andhra Pradesh began, eventually leading to KCR spearheading it. The Congress chief also said that party leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra Rahul in Telangana for 21 days helped them.
“Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu bhatti Vikramarka (Madhira MLA), and I were able to lead the party with support from Rahul Gandhi. This win we dedicate to the aspirations of martyrs. Today KTR has congratulated the Congress and I appreciate it. We will implement the six guarantees (that the party had promised),” stated Revanth Reddy.
He went on to also “thank” the BRS, stating that the party continues KTR’s spirit with regard to the government’s functioning. “We will make policies, and giving suggestions is the responsibility of the opposition. We will take their suggestions. The Congress is always going to try and help the poor,” said Revanth Reddy. He added that the party will work with everyone including KCR, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Kishan Reddy, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMM) and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) president Prof Kodandaram to run a good government.
The ruling BRS, which first won power in 2014, will for the first time since Telangana’s formation now be out of power. While KCR and his party members were confident of a win, the Congress managed to intensify its campaign towards the end of November and pulled the rug from under the BRS. KCR is likely to submit his resignation to Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan in a day or two. On Sunday, Telangana Director General of Police Anjani Kumar and other police officials also met Revanth Reddy to discuss arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony, which is likely to take place on December 9.