CM lacked foresight to handle power crisis: Shankar Rao

Former Congress minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Tuesday blamed Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was responsible for the acute gas shortage in the State.

Talking to media persons at Assembly premises, Shankar Rao criticised the Chief Minister for lacking foresight on the power situation in the State. Stating that the problem intensified mainly due to the inefficiency of the Chief Minister in handling the issues, he, however, gave clean chit to Union Petroleum Minister S Jaipal Reddy.

Dr Shankar Rao said that it was improper to blame Jaipal Reddy for the Chief Minister’s misdeed. In order to cover up his mistakes, he said that Kiran Kumar Reddy went to New Delhi to politicise the issue and get mileage out of it. He alleged that all ministers in Kiran Kumar Reddy government were acting as 'coverts' of YSR Congress party and damaging the Congress party's image.

The former minister also demanded that the Chief Minister immediately withdraw the recommendations made by the Cabinet Sub-committee on fee reimbursement as they would put additional financial burden on Backward Classes students and would force them to discontinue their studies.