HYDERABAD: Several BRS leaders on Wednesday rallied behind former Minister T Harish Rao, refuting the allegations made against him by K Kavitha.
They likened Harish Rao’s importance to BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao to that of Siddayya for the revered sage Pothuluri Veera Brahmam.
“Harish Rao is an asset for the BRS. Targeting him and provoking a reaction would only be a loss for Telangana,” the leaders stated.
Speaking to reporters at Telangana Bhavan, former agriculture minister S Niranjan Reddy and others recalled that Harish Rao was the first BRS leader to establish the party’s foundational presence at ‘Jala Drishyam,’ the party’s office in its initial days.
The leaders expressed regret that those who had praised Harish Rao in the past were now criticising him, a clear reference to Kavitha.
They denied any role of Harish Rao in the exit of now-BJP MP Eatala Rajender from the party. Niranjan Reddy highlighted how Harish Rao had effectively exposed the “hollowness” of the Congress during the Assembly debate on the Kaleshwaram project.
“At a time when everyone who loves Telangana should stand as a protective shield for the BRS, allegations are being levelled against our own leaders. This is an act of betrayal. When the enemy is conspiring against the party, such remarks only give them strength,” he said.
The former minister warned that comments against Harish Rao would only benefit their political opponents. He also came to the defence of Joginapally Santosh Kumar, whom Kavitha had accused of corruption, stating, “Joginapally Santosh was never part of the government and in fact served primarily as an assistant to KCR.”