Hyderabad: The decision of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to shift the Secretariat to Erragadda Chest Hospital premises has come in for sharp criticism from the Opposition parties. The Congress, TDP, BJP and the Left parties said on Saturday the Chief Minister could not take such major decisions without consulting the Opposition.

In a democracy, the success or the failure of the government depends on the performance of the government not on anything else, said former Deputy Speaker Bhatti Vikramarka. Strongly opposing the move, Bhatti said KCR was treating Telangana state as his ‘personal estate’. “There is no space for superstitions in a democracy.

People have voted for the TRS expecting it to bring jobs, welfare and development. Therefore, KCR has no right to waste public money for superstitious reasons,” he said. TPCC vice president Mohd Shabbir Ali said KCR should explain what exactly was wrong with the existing Secretariat.

“He cannot behave like a monarch. He is not the first CM to occupy the Secretariat building. Many successful CMs had worked from the same premises,” he said. “The Chief Minister who has promised to create golden Telangana is now planning to spend huge amount on the new Secretariat complex.

Instead, he should utilise that money in implementing the promises he had made before the election,” Shabbir said. He said as many as 16 Chief Ministers operated from the same Secretariat and a few of them like Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu and YS Rajasekhara Reddy served for longer periods.

None of them complained about its Vasthu. Instead of making some required changes in his office, KCR wants to shift the entire Secretariat. When pointed out that KCR is also unhappy with the Vasthu of his camp office, he said instead of changing so many buildings, it would be better to replace the Chief Minister himself. He also asked KCR to explain what he proposes to do with the present Secretariat and other HOD buildings after shifting them to new premises.

TDP senior leader A Revanth Reddy said KCR’s decision was an attempt to divert the attention of the people from his failures. He should not forget that the massive Sakala Janula Samme was launched and conducted successfully from the same Secretariat which finally resulted in making the Central government wake up and bifurcate the State.

Revanth Reddy also took strong exception to spending public money on fulfilling the vows which includes gold ornaments worth Rs 5 crore to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala,  nose rings to the Goddess Padmavathi in Tiruchanur and the Goddess Durga in Vijayawada and Rs 2.5 lakh worth chaddar to Ajmer Sharif Darga with public money. Taking a vow is a personal issue and anyone who does that should himself fulfil it with his own money, he added.

Telangana state CPM Secretary  Ch Venkat Reddy said KCR had taken a ‘unilateral decision’ on shifting the Secretariat and other public offices without consulting the Opposition and people representatives.  The Chief Minister should perform his duties by taking into consideration the views of all parties.  Shifting the offices on the pretext of Vasthu was against the spirit of the Indian Constitution.