Hyderabad: YSR Congress Party on Friday boycotted the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) meeting protesting the absence of the Telangana State Tribal Welfare Minister A Chandulal and the top officials of the Department.

Party MLA P Venkateswarlu told the media that his party members staged a walkout because the Minister and top officials of the Department had failed to attend the meeting. Though the tribals were encountering several problems, like podu cultivation in Khammam, Warangal, Adilabad and Mahabubnagar, the meeting was reduced to a mere formality, he said.

“Tribal people are being ignored by the TRS government  as there is no proper review on development and welfare activities. The TAC meetings are not being held quarterly despite being directed by the Chief Minister, K Chandrashekar Rao,” he said. Venkateswarlu said when Y S Rajasekhara Reddy  was the Chief Minister, he distributed seven lakh acres to three lakh tribal people.