Hyderabad: A war of words has erupted between the TRS and the Congress in connection with the Telangana Formation Day celebrations. Minister K.T. Rama Rao and other TRS leaders lashed out at the comments made by AICC general-secretary  Digvijay Singh, former Union minister Jaipal Reddy, TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy and others against Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the TS government.

Mr Rama Rao, who is in the US, took strong exception to Mr Singh's remark that the CM was behaving like a Nero by squandering hundreds of crores on T-Formation Day. He tweeted: "One of the high priests of the Congress (Digvijay Singh), who could not spell Telangana correctly, has no business to point fingers at KCR, who earned name and fame all over the country for his historic decisions to develop the state and initiating unique programs for the well-being of the masses".

Mr Balka Suman lashed out at Mr Jaipal Reddy for saying Mr Chandrasekhar Rao's deeksha during the Telangana movement was fake. "Congress has the habit of faking deekshas, agitations and promises and of course adept at looting the country. But for KCR's deeksha, the UPA government would not have announced Telangana," he said. Meanwhile,  leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Shabbir Ali on Friday said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had hinted at midterm polls, possibly in 2017, during his speech at the Parade Grounds on Thursday.

Speaking to newsmen here, Mr Shabbir Ali said, “KCR got a mandate only till 2019. Therefore, he should speak about projects or schemes that he intends to complete by 2019. By saying 2022, he gave a clear hint that he might go for midterm elections anytime in 2017. Only by this logic would he stay in office till 2022, provided he wins the midterm polls.” Mr Shabbir Ali said that the state was all set to face “mini-elections” soon. “KCR has engineered defection of 23 MLAs, two Lok Sabha MPs and over a dozen MLCs to the TRS. Although the Speaker has delayed a decision on the disqualification petitions filed by the respective parties, the courts will certainly do justice in this matter as the legislators have violated the Anti-Defection Law and they are bound to face disqualification,” he said.