Former Minister and BRS Deputy Floor Leader T. Harish Rao, addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, strongly criticized the Congress government over its claims regarding Telangana’s debt burden. He accused Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Bhatti Vikramarka of presenting “false and misleading figures” to misguide the people.
Harish Rao said that despite being the Finance Minister, Bhatti Vikramarka had presented inaccurate debt figures and alleged that the Congress government was deliberately spreading misinformation for political purposes.
He claimed that Minister Jupally Krishna Rao had earlier challenged the BRS on the debt issue but later failed to substantiate those claims.
According to Harish Rao, the BRS has maintained a consistent stand on the state’s borrowings both inside and outside the Assembly, unlike the Congress government, which he alleged has been changing its figures repeatedly.
He questioned why the Congress government was blaming the state’s financial condition instead of fulfilling the promises made in its election manifesto. Referring to Bhatti Vikramarka’s earlier remarks that the Congress had vast experience in mobilizing revenues, Harish Rao asked why that experience was not being reflected in governance.
Harish Rao alleged that while the previous BRS government never claimed the state was bankrupt even during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown, the present government frequently speaks of financial distress despite normal economic conditions.
Debt Figures Presented by Harish Rao
Harish Rao said that the Congress government has been claiming that the BRS government left behind debts of ₹8.21 lakh crore, but argued that this figure includes liabilities that existed before Telangana’s formation and borrowings made after the Congress assumed office.
Quoting documents shown by the Finance Minister during his press conference, Harish Rao stated:
- As of June 2, 2014 (formation of Telangana), the state already had ₹84,268 crore in FRBM loans and government-guaranteed loans.
- Between December 7, 2023 and March 31, 2024, after the Congress government assumed office, it borrowed an additional ₹15,118 crore.
- After excluding these amounts from the total outstanding liabilities of ₹5,16,881 crore as of December 7, 2023, the debt attributable to the BRS government stands at ₹4,17,495 crore, he claimed.
Harish Rao further referred to CAG reports and the Telangana Budget in Brief 2025–26, claiming that:
- FRBM borrowings during the BRS government amounted to ₹3,01,484 crore.
- Government-paid off-budget borrowings totalled ₹1,09,335 crore after adjustments.
- Therefore, the total debt attributable to the BRS government was approximately ₹4.10 lakh crore, not ₹8.21 lakh crore as alleged by the Congress.
He said these figures were based on official government documents, CAG reports, RBI data, and the state’s own budget papers.
Allegations Against Congress Government
Harish Rao alleged that the Congress government has been giving different debt figures at different times through white papers, Assembly statements, and press conferences.
He claimed the government was using the debt issue to divert public attention from unfulfilled election promises and alleged scams.
He also questioned the Congress government’s own borrowings, alleging inconsistencies between figures quoted by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka.
According to Harish Rao, publicly available data indicates that the present government has accumulated around ₹4.5 lakh crore in borrowings during its tenure.
He reiterated that the BRS is prepared for a public debate on the state’s finances at any time and maintained that its stand on Telangana’s debt has remained consistent.
Note: The above statements are allegations and claims made by BRS leader Harish Rao during a press conference. The Telangana government has presented a different assessment of the state’s debt and has rejected similar allegations in the past.
