Hyderabad, May 19 (IANS) Telangana Congress leaders hit back at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dharampuri Arvind on Tuesday after the latter said that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy could do a ‘Suvendu Adhikari’ to the Congress.

The Nizambad MP’s remark has evoked strong reaction from Congress leaders who reminded him that his family too began its political journey from their party.

Arvind had claimed on Monday that Revanth Reddy could switch political sides just as Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari did when he dumped the Trinamool Congress and joined the BJP in 2020.

The BJP MP also said that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy might have some sort of understanding or connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I am a small worker in the BJP, so I do not have complete details. But just like how Suvendu Adhikari aligned with the BJP in West Bengal, Revanth Reddy might also be trying to build a similar relationship with PM Modi,” Arvind added, while referring to PM Modi’s recent remarks at a recent public event in Hyderabad.

The Prime Minister’s remark came in response to the Chief Minister’s request that he extend same assistance to Telangana what he received as the Gujarat Chief Minister when late Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister.

PM Modi told Revanth Reddy that if he accepts his request, the assistance which Telangana is currently getting from the Centre will be halved.

“Aap jahan pahunchna chahte hain, nahi pahunch payenge… achha hai ki mere se hi judo” (You may not reach where you want to reach… you should join me),” PM Modi had said.

Congress leader and MLC Addanki Dayakar remarked that the BJP MP Arvind lacks wisdom.

Dayakar believes that PM Modi urged CM Revanth Reddy to join hands with him for development.

“Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has clearly announced that he wants to make Rahul Gandhi the country’s Prime Minister. Will PM Modi join with Revanth Reddy in making Rahul Gandhi the PM,” Dayakar asked.

The Congress leader told BJP MP Arvind that he has no political existence without his late father Dharampuri Srinivas, who was a senior Congress leader.

The MLC said that Arvind has no right to question the commitment of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Dayakar added that the whole country and even Prime Minister Modi knows where Revanth Reddy came from before joining the Congress.

Dayakar also dismissed Arvind’s remark that the Congress leadership ignored senior party leaders who had spent decades in the party to make Revanth Reddy the Chief Minister of Telangana though he came to Congress from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

The MLC reminded Arvind that the BJP has not made its original leaders as the Chief Ministers.

He cited the cases of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was in Congress before joining the BJP.

Dayakar termed Arvind as a ‘rented’ leader and said BJP will never give him the recognition.

Meanwhile, Telangana Welfare Minister Adluri Lakshman Kumar has strongly condemned what he called “inappropriate remarks” made by BJP MP Arvind against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the Congress leadership.

Advising Arvind to speak on people’s issues rather than resorting to political mudslinging, he reminded the BJP MP that his family began their political journey with the Congress.

He said that it is unacceptable for BJP leaders to speak as they please for political gain while the state government is working for public welfare.

He warned that personal criticism against Revanth Reddy will not be tolerated.

The Minister took strong exception to the BJP MP Arvind’s remarks about Chief Minister’’ brothers.

“If you speak about Chief Minister’s (Revanth Reddy’s) brothers, should we not speak about the alleged excesses committed by your family in Nizamabad,” Lakshman Kumar asked?

–IANS

ms/khz