'Telangana's competition is not Karnataka': Revanth Reddy at WEF 2024

In a free-wheeling interview with Business Today Executive Director  Rahul Kanwal, Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy said his state was inviting investors from all over the world. "We want to compete with the world, not with Karnataka, Maharashtra or Andhra Pradesh. For me, the world is one village." 

On his focus areas

"My core areas are education, IT, pharma, sports and employment in other sectors. My focus is also on 30 lakh young people who are techies. We want to focus on organic food. I want to establish pharma villages in 10-12 clusters in Telangana and develop the best universities in and around Hyderabad," he said.

Revanth Reddy said he did not want Telangana to compete with neighbouring states like Karnataka, Maharashtra or Andhra Pradesh, "but with the world".

"We are inviting investors from worldwide to the state. We want to compete with the world, not with Karnataka, Maharashtra or Andhra Pradesh. For me, the world is one village," he said.

On comparison with BRS

Stressing that investors believed in stable governance for investments, Reddy said his policies "were different" from the previous BRS government led by K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).

"Whether it is the BRS or the Congress, we have to continue formulating development policies. The IT and pharma sectors did not begin under the BRS regime. It started way back in 1993. Development has been ongoing for the last 30 years and will continue to do so," he said.

 

On Ram Temple

On the controversy over the four Shankaracharyas deciding not to attend the 'pran pratishtha' of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, Reddy said the Ram Temple belonged to all Hindus and asserted that the BJP was playing "religious politics" in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

"Ram Temple belongs to all Hindus. It has nothing to do with the BJP. How will it help them politically? If they are claiming they are going to get some benefits from the Ram Temple, they are playing religious politics," he said.

Revanth Reddy said he used to visit a Ram temple in Telangana's Bhadrachalam. He said, "I don't find any difference between Ayodhya and Bhadrachalam Ram Temple."