Finance minister Harish Rao and Dubbaka star poll campaigner said he will own moral responsibility for the defeat the party suffered at the hands of the BJP in the byelections.
“I accept moral responsibility for the defeat. At the same time, my commitment towards the well-being of people in Dubbaka will be uncompromised and unmatched,” Harish Rao asserted.
He said the party will hold discussions to assess the reason for defeat in the bypolls. “There could be several reasons for the defeat. The party will hold meetings and assess the reasons for the same. The party is dedicated to the overall development of the state, and we will continue to do so,” Harish Rao said.
Harish Rao single-handedly campaigned for the party’s candidate in Dubbaka. He aggressively campaigned in the constituency by tearing into the BJP camp. He tried to expose the BJP on a host of issues like the central government’s share in schemes like KCR Kit and pensions for beedi workers.
He also slammed the central government for not clearing dues of Rs 11,180 crore. Harish Rao told Dubbaka voters that development would be possible only if the ruling party wins since the TRS-led government will be in power for the next three years, but the message seems to have clearly failed.
With the party’s defeat in the bypolls, Harish Rao could once again be sidelined. Already there is a buzz that there is a growing power tussle between KTR and Harish Rao.