In a fiery counter-attack, the Telangana branch of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) has initiated a poster campaign targeting Telangana’s Chief Minister, K Chandrashekar Rao, labeling him as the most corrupt Chief Minister in the country. The posters, adorned with slogans like “Book my CM,” “Deals available,” and “30% COMMISSION,” were strategically placed across various locations in Hyderabad on September 18th.
Source: News18 Kannada
These QR-coded posters squarely accuse the KCR-led BRS government of corruption, alleging that they demand a staggering 30 percent commission on projects. This article delves into the poster war, its motives, and the broader implications of such a political battle.
The poster campaign launched by the Indian Youth Congress is a direct response to posters put up by supporters of the BRS, who had referred to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) as the “Corrupt Working Committee” ahead of their two-day meeting. This tit-for-tat poster exchange bears a striking resemblance to a similar campaign the Congress ran in Karnataka before the Assembly elections, labeled “PayCM,” which accused the previous BJP government of demanding a 40 percent commission for government projects.
Source: India Today
The Karnataka State Contractors’ Association (KSCA) was the first to level the corruption allegations, asserting that government officials were seeking a 40 percent commission for projects. The “PayCM” campaign in Karnataka also made use of QR codes to highlight these allegations, targeting then-Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP. The posters displayed in Hyderabad under the “BOOK MY CM” slogan feature the Chief Minister’s face alongside a barcode scanner, emphasizing the corruption accusations.
The Indian Youth Congress has not minced words in its allegations against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, claiming that he has been demanding a 30 percent commission on every project and scheme in the state. Through Twitter, the IYC asserted that booking the Telangana CM has become a straightforward affair: just provide 30 percent and access your preferred government deals, regardless of the price.
https://x.com/IYC/status/1703676755306049758?s=20
Telangana Youth Congress President Shiva Sena Reddy condemned the alleged corrupt practices of the Telangana government, describing them as both corrupt and dictatorial. Reddy accused the government of demanding a 30 percent cut for various projects, even pointing to Mission Kakatiya, a state government initiative aimed at restoring minor irrigation tanks and lakes, as an example where such commissions were allegedly sought.
Comparatively, in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a Congress veteran leader elected in May of this year, took prompt action to address corruption allegations against the previous BJP government. He ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the “40-percent commission” allegations, which had emerged after a contractor accused a former state minister of demanding such commissions for government projects.
Source: The South First
Hyderabad has witnessed its fair share of political clashes through poster campaigns. Prior to the two-day Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Hyderabad on September 16th and 17th, the ruling BRS government had launched posters across the city targeting the Congress party.
These posters labeled the CWC as the “Corrupt Working Committee” and prominently featured images of 24 Congress leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and top leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The posters also mentioned alleged corruption cases involving these leaders, cautioning the public to “Beware of Scamgress scammers.”
