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YSR-Naidu face-off again in House

Special Correspondent

Both Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition claim credit for city’s progress

HYDERABAD: The surcharged political atmosphere in the twin cities in the light of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections had its echo in the Assembly on Monday when Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu challenged each other over the development during their respective tenures.

This was a second face-off between them within a week, the first being on the credibility enjoyed by them among the people of the State. Development in Hyderabad, which figured as a passing reference during question time following a query about metro rail project by Akbaruddin Owaisi (AIMIM), led to a heated debate when Dr. Reddy compared his performance with “nil efforts” of Mr. Naidu during the latter’s tenure.

Telugu Desam members remained on feet and shouted slogans occasionally in protest. They raised slogans recalling “Bholakpur” incident where six persons died due to contaminated water. Dr. Reddy, however, rebutted claiming that but for his ceaseless efforts since 2004 for completion of Krishna I and II, the entire city would have “become a Bholakpur”.

He cited as his contributions the construction of international airport at Shamshabad, half-a-dozen flyovers in the old city where works worth Rs. 20,000 crore were being implemented, Outer Ring Road and Rs. 3,000-crore project to bring Godavari waters as a permanent solution.

Hitting back, Mr. Naidu said it was he who developed roads in the city, built Hi-Tec City, international airport, biotech park and made Hyderabad into an educational centre, besides several parks that were named after Congress leaders. “If Dr. Reddy is allowed to have his say, he may even claim that Charminar, Assembly, Golconda Fort and Qutb Shahi tombs were built by him,” he said.

The Chief Minister appealed to Mr. Naidu to change his mindset, turn positive and shun “self-praise and arm-chair criticism”. If his claims were true, residents would not have elected Congress candidates in 24 constituencies lying in the city area, except in one.

Denying Mr. Naidu’s charge that the government colluded with Maytas-led consortium to get kickbacks while selecting it for execution of metro rail project, the Chief Minister reasoned that this consortium had offered better terms and conditions, including a profit of Rs. 31,000 crore, while six other pre-qualified consortia sought about Rs. 3,000 crore from the government each.

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