No... Shekhawat did not praise Mission Bhageeratha!!

KCR's publicity machinery is at it again. KCR's control over Telangana's media houses and his CMO media cells hyper activism are only too well-known. During the earlier stint, whenever a central minister visited Telangana, the PR wing came up with press notes claiming that the ministers have lauded the State Government schemes. In most cases, it was not true. The Central Ministers never praised KCR, but did not bother to contradict the claims. The State BJP unit too took things lightly. As a result, there was a general perception that the BJP and the TRS were good friends and that the BJP needed KCR more than he needed BJP.


But, now the BJP is a changed party. It is aiming to grow in power so that it can take on KCR. So, when a Central Minister visits the BJP is extra careful to ensure that the TRS does not take it for a ride. Recently, when Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat came to Hyderabad, the TRS as usual released a press note which said that the minister praised TRS Government's Mission Bhageeratha and that the scheme would be extended to the whole country. But, unlike earlier, the BJP immediately sent a press note saying that the minister had taken to task the loopholes in the scheme and that he was critical of the TRS government. The next day, BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy came up with another rejoinder where he refuted that Shekhawat has praised KCR. He also asked the TRS government to stop the misinformation campaign.


Though only few media houses cared to publicise this matter, it was a clear signal to the TRS that things are different now.