KTR accuses the Congress of obstructing Telangana’s development

HYDERABAD: On Saturday, BRS working president and IT Minister KT Rama Rao criticized Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for allegedly sending a letter to Foxconn Group chairman Young Liu, urging the relocation of their Hyderabad unit to Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar responded through X to refute the existence of any such letter to Foxconn and condemned the accusations. Rama Rao, addressing a gathering of lawyers, claimed that if the Congress were to come to power in Telangana, it would move industries from Telangana to Karnataka.

Furthermore, he accused the Congress of actively hindering Telangana’s development and establishing a new political base in Bengaluru, much like in New Delhi. He also alleged that substantial funds were being directed to Telangana in an attempt to persuade multinational companies to relocate to the state capital of Karnataka from Hyderabad.

Rama Rao read out the alleged letter written by Shivakumar to Foxconn, in which Shivakumar tried to persuade the company to shift its manufacturing unit from Telangana to Karnataka. The letter reportedly proposed, “On behalf of the Karnataka government, I suggest that you contemplate relocating the Apple Airpods industry, originally planned for Hyderabad, to Bengaluru. This decision would offer several mutual advantages, enhancing the Apple iPhone manufacturing sector while capitalizing on the city’s transportation infrastructure and available workforce. Moreover, numerous international industries in Hyderabad have expressed interest in relocating to Bengaluru. We anticipate forming a favorable government in Telangana soon, ensuring a smooth transition for your ancillary industry.”

Rama Rao highlighted that the Telangana government had held several meetings with Foxconn, ultimately leading to the company agreeing to establish its unit in Telangana. He mentioned that the company had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Telangana government in 2022, set to generate employment opportunities for 100,000 people in the region.

Rama Rao also mentioned that during his campaign visit to Telangana, Shivakumar suggested that the Congress in Karnataka was providing five hours of electricity to the agricultural sector, which raised concerns among farmers that the same policy might be implemented in Telangana if the Congress came to power.

He emphasized that none of the Congress or BJP leaders in Telangana displayed independent decision-making and instead followed the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and PM Modi. He urged the public not to place their trust in these leaders.