Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday blamed lack of ideology and student politics for increasing defections. Stating that leaders are changing parties for posts, he underlined the need for ideological student politics. 

Students who follow party ideology will always be loyal to the political organisation, he said.

The Chief Minister was addressing at an event to release former Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao’s autobiography ‘UNIKA’ Revanth Reddy was all praise for Vidyasagar Rao strictly following the ideology while in student politics at Osmania University.

He lauded the contributions of Vidyasagar Rao as governor of two states and said he upheld the honour of Telangana.

It is commendable that Vidyasagar Rao spent five decades in active politics without facing a single allegation and he stands as an ideal for the Telangana society, he said.

The Chief Minister lamented the falling standards of universities and said they were on the verge of losing their sheen and existence. It is imperative that students should be active in politics in the universities, he said.

He claimed that soon after assuming office, he took the decision to bring back the glory of universities. University students played an important role during the Telangana movement.

The active role played by students in politics resulted in the formation of Telangana state, he said. The Chief Minister urged Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar and other BJP and BRS leaders to help in getting the Centre’s approval for the expansion of Hyderabad Metro.

He pointed out that when the first phase of Hyderabad Metro was completed, it had the second-longest Metro network in the country, but now it has fallen to ninth place.

Stating that Hyderabad is not competing with Amaravati but with the world, he stressed the need for Metro expansion.

He mentioned that 60 per cent of Telangana's income comes from Hyderabad and reiterated his ambition to make Telangana a trillion dollar economy.

The Chief Minister said he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sanction regional ring road and regional ring rail to develop Hyderabad as a global city.

He also urged the Centre allot a dry port to Telangana as it is a landlocked state. He said the Centre should also complete the Kazipet Railway Coach Factory at the earliest.

Stating that he has no differences with anyone, Revanth Reddy said he would meet everyone and seek everybody's cooperation for the development of Telangana.

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya said he worked with Vidyasagar Rao for 40 years. He stated that Vidyasagar Rao worked hard to strengthen ABVP and BJP in the state.

He recalled Vidyasagar Rao’s efforts to underscore the importance of Godavari waters for Telangana.

Vidyasagar Rao stated that leaders irrespective of the parties they belong to have nationalist sentiments.

He said harnessing the potential of youth was the challenge before today’s leaders.

He praised Revanth Reddy for coming out with the idea of ‘HYDRA’ to save lakes and natural bodies.

He called for a similar body to solve the problem faced by tribals with regard to their lands.

(IANS)