Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 19 (ANI): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Mahesh Kumar Goud has hit out at Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, accusing him of focusing on 'religion' and 'caste' instead of developmental issues.

Speaking to ANI, Goud said that as a Union Cabinet Minister, Reddy should prioritise discussions on Telangana's growth, including pending infrastructure projects like the metro rail, rather than making divisive remarks.

'Union Minister G Kishan Reddy always talks about Owaisi, religion, and caste. Being a Union Cabinet Minister, he should talk about development, raise the developmental issues in Telangana, and raise the metro line issue. He only speaks about religion, Muslims. This is not fair; Telangana is a secular state,' Mahesh Goud said.

On Friday, Union Minister and BJP leader G Kishan Reddy launched a sharp attack on Congress, BRS, and AIMIM ahead of the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency (LAC) election, calling their alliance an attempt to defeat the BJP and branding AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi as the 'super boss' of both Congress and BRS.

He described the election as a 'dharma yuddh' and expressed confidence that the BJP would win.

'All three parties are making efforts to defeat the BJP's candidate. This is a dharma yuddh (righteous war), and the BJP will definitely win this war. We will go among the people of Telangana,' he said.

'Election to the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency (LAC) seat of the Legislative Council will be held on 23rd April. BJP has filed a nomination for this election, and AIMIM has also filed a nomination,' Reddy said.

He noted that while BRS had submitted a nomination, the Congress party, currently the ruling party in the state, had not.

'However, the ruling party, Congress, which is currently the opposition party in the Assembly and has ruled for ten years in the past, has not submitted a nomination. The BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) party has also filed a nomination,' he said.

'Both of these parties (Congress and BRS) support the MIM party in ensuring its victory and defeating the BJP,' he alleged, adding, 'These three parties, under the leadership of Asaduddin Owaisi, are essentially acting in concert, acting like puppets.'

The Election Commission (EC) on March 23 announced the biennial elections for one seat of the Telangana Legislative Council that will take place on April 23.

Polling will be held for the Hyderabad Local Authorities MLC Constituency.

The polling was necessitated as the term of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC MS Prabhakar will expire on May 1. (ANI)