Harish warns govt of revolt if Siddipet is abolished

Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader T Harish Rao said people would revolt against the Congress if the govt dared to abolish Siddipet in the proposed reorganisation of districts. Addressing a meeting in the district, during which BJP town president Pathri Srinivas and others joined the BRS, Harish said that if the govt bore any grudge against him, it should target him and not the people of Siddipet."There was a time when people were reluctant to marry their daughters into Siddipet families due to the severe water crisis. The town was known for open drains and poor sanitation. Now there has been a sea change, and those problems are history. We replaced open drains with underground drainage and ensured that tap water reached every household. With community halls, proper waste management and streetlights, Siddipet has become a model for the entire state. It has emerged as an educational and medical hub with colleges and hospitals, and a spiritual centre with its temples," Harish said.The former minister said KCR fulfilled the 40-year-old dream of the people by making Siddipet a district. "But now, chief minister A Revanth Reddy is conspiring to abolish it and merge it back with Sangareddy, citing an excess of districts. If the district is removed, they will lose critical institutions such as the collectorate, medical college, and police commissionerate," he said."I challenge Revanth Reddy. If you have a grudge against me, target me directly, but do not punish the people of Siddipet. We will not stay silent; we will launch another agitation if our district's existence is threatened," he said.He alleged that the Congress promised one tola of gold for brides but failed to deliver. "Popular schemes such as KCR Kits and Bathukamma sarees have vanished. Farmers are suffering without fertiliser, crop procurement, or Rythu Bandhu support," he added.