Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president N. Ramchander Rao on Monday (August 24, 2026) challenged Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi “who is travelling across the country and provoking students in BJP-ruled states”, to come to the State and give answers on the issue of fee reimbursement dues being withheld by the Congress government, if he has the courage.

Launching a 48-hour hunger strike at the BJP State office in Hyderabad in support of students demanding the immediate release of around ₹15,000 crore in fee reimbursement dues, the BJP leader accused the Congress Government of neglecting the education sector and jeopardising the future of nearly 40 lakh students in Telangana.

He criticised what he described as the “stubborn attitude and authoritarian approach” of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy — who also holds the education portfolio — of having pushed the “education system into a severe crisis”. The non-release of fee reimbursement dues has caused widespread hardship for students studying in professional and higher educational institutions.

He further alleged that despite assurances given after criticism from the High Court, the government had failed to release even the promised ₹2,000 crore advance for the next academic year. Asserting that the BJP would continue its agitation until the issue is resolved, Mr. Rao said the party stood firmly with students across the State.

The BJP leader claimed that party workers had toured colleges across Telangana and collected signatures from nearly five lakh students who were unhappy with the Congress government’s failure to clear fee reimbursement arrears.

Mr. Rao also charged the police of lathi-charging polytechnic students — when they had raised their grievances, and the government of ignoring the ongoing agitation by Ayush and Homeopathy students seeking an increase in their stipends. Earlier, police denied permission to him to hold the protest at the designated ‘Dharna Chowk’ near Indira Park.

Several senior BJP leaders including MP Rekha Sharma, BJP Legislature Party leader Aleti Maheshwar Reddy, Legislative Council leader A.V.N. Reddy, MPs D. Arvind, Raghunandan Rao and D.K. Aruna, MLAs Palvai Harish and Venkata Ramana Reddy, and MLCs Malka Komuraiah and Anji Reddy, extended support to the protest and criticised the Congress government over the issue.