KTR’s retort of ‘Payment Quota’ against Revanth’s jibe of ‘Management Quota’

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy days before the outcome of the polling was pronounced, jibed at Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K T Rama Rao (KTR). He might have said the same earlier too but this remark against KTR in an interview to a national channel caught the public attention more than ever.

The results came and Revanth Reddy’s efforts were paid off and the people rallied behind the Congress.

The Assembly began. Saturday was the “muhurtham” chosen for moving the customary motion of thanks to the Governor’s address.

In the process of debate, there were exchanges between the treasury benches and the Opposition quite obviously.

Even during this debate, Revanth Reddy chose to hit out at KTR saying that the latter belonged to “Management Quota”.

The Chief Minister has been repeatedly jeering KTR with this taunt. It’s quite ostensible that the Chief Minister would be out to embarrass KTR and the BRS.

However, like a proverbial wounded tiger going on the prowl KTR grabbed an opportunity and retorted with sharp comment saying that the Chief Minister belonged to “Payment Quota”.

He went on to allege that Revanth Reddy had ‘managed’ Delhi to become the Telangana PCC president.

If Revanth Reddy meant to suggest that KTR belonged to “management quota” akin to engineering and medical seats in those professional colleges given under management quota, KTR, as part of the verbal slugfest, meant to suggest that Revanth Reddy “paid” some people to become the PCC chief and eventually the Chief Minister. He didn’t stop there. He brought in the allegation made by R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who had alleged earlier that Revanth Reddy had become TPCC chief through dubious means, to buttress his charge.

In fact, earlier during the day, KTR was sarcastically referred to as NRI by Revanth Reddy. He further expanded the acronym as non-reliable Indian. The congeners of Indian diaspora across the globe are collectively referred to as NRIs usually. The Chief Minister’s interpretation, however, was not in good taste as NRIs have an emotional and material role and contribution in India’s growth story.

In an exchange with the Chief Minister on this subject, KTR had alleged that Revanth Reddy had “sold” MLA tickets to several NRIs.

There have been numerous occasions on Saturday when Revanth Reddy and KTR whipped lacerations at each other. Telanagan Assembly session suddenly became spicy and interesting.