Blaming the Congress for stonewalling key irrigation projects in Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday claimed that the BRS will easily win a third term in the upcoming elections.

After the Karnataka polls, Rao seemed to have made a directional shift and repeatedly attacked the Congress while ignoring the BJP as the key Opposition in the state. In an interaction with the press in Maharashtra, he claimed that Narendra Modi was a friend, much to the delight of the BJP. Today’s rally also saw Rao carrying on with his strategy of ignoring the BJP and slamming the Congress. He also went back to his tested formula of evoking regional sentiments and pride of Telangana.

“We will win again. I have no doubts about it,” the chief minister asserted at a public rally after participating in the Haritha Haram (green necklace) programme at Tummaluru reserve forest in Maheshwaram constituency in Ranga Reddy district on the occasion of the decennial celebration of the formation of the state.

While speaking about the success of Telangana in increasing its green cover by 7.7 per cent, he recalled that when he had launched the programme in 2015 some Congress MLAs had even joked about it. He said today truck drivers know at the borders from where the state of Telangana begins simply by looking at the greenery all around and then when the green cover ends and dry parched topography begins they know they have reached the next state.

He also blamed the Congress for delaying the irrigation project while assuring the people that they need not worry about water any more.

 “Palamuru Rangareddy Lift irrigation project will be completed along with Kaleshwaram. The reservoirs are ready and we will fill them in August. The holy souls who delayed the project are Congress leaders who went to the Supreme Court and obtained a stay. People should think about it,” said Rao.

He also took a dig at the leaders of Andhra Pradesh which has now slipped to 7th position in paddy production, reminding them of their statements that they had taught the people of Telangana cultivation and eating rice. Telangana on the other hand has seen bountiful production of paddy due to improvement in irrigation facilities.

He announced funds for gram panchayats, local municipalities, medical college at Maheshwaram as well as Metro rail connectivity in the area in his next term as chief minister.