Congress & BRS spar over venue: A Revanth Reddy invites to assembly; KTR proposes press club for debate on farmers’ issues

HYDERABAD: A day after chief minister A Revanth Reddy challenged them to a debate in the Assembly, BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday accepted the challenge, proposing a public debate on farmers' issues at the Hyderabad Press Club at 11 am on July 8.Responding to KTR, senior Congress leader and BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the debate should take place in the Assembly, not at the Press Club. He added that the Leader of the Opposition, K Chandrasekhar Rao, should write to the speaker requesting a special session of the House for the discussion.Addressing party workers at the LB Stadium on Friday, CM Revanth stated that the Congress govt had spent 1.04 lakh crore on farmers' welfare and provided 60,000 govt jobs in its first year.

He invited KCR, KTR, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union minister G Kishan Reddy to debate the matter in the assembly or Parliament if they had any doubts.

In response, KTR said the CM should announce the date and venue of his choice, be it Kondareddypalle, Kodangal, Gajwel, Chintamadaka, or elsewhere, if the Press Club was not feasible. He also claimed the current govt was taking credit for job notifications issued by the previous BRS govt under KCR.Minister Ponnam said the ruling party was ready for a debate with the BRS, on any issue, provided it was held on the floor of the Assembly with KCR present.