Telangana debt dispute intensifies as Congress and BRS clash

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka alleged that the previous BRS administration left Telangana with a debt of roughly ₹8.21 lakh crore, claiming the current Congress government has repaid about ₹2.08 lakh crore of principal and interest in two‑and‑a‑half years. He accused former finance minister Harish Rao of spreading false figures and said the BRS had taken high‑interest loans that burdened the state.

Congress tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao responded by publishing a detailed debt sheet and inviting BRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao, working president K.T. Rama Rao and Harish Rao to a public debate at the Press Club, offering to resign if his figures proved wrong. BRS leaders accepted the challenge, but police detained them en route to the venue, and K.T. Rama Rao later said the Congress failed to appear at the scheduled debate at Telangana Bhavan. The confrontation has highlighted a broader political showdown over the state’s finances and procurement practices.