HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday challenged Union minister G Kishan Reddy to ensure that the CBI registers an FIR into the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project before November 11 — the polling day for the Jubilee Hills byelection — to prove that the BJP and BRS do not have a secret pact.
“Kishan Reddy said that the Centre would arrest BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao within 48 hours. But it’s been three months since the case was handed over to the CBI, and not even an FIR has been registered,” Revanth said.
Alleging that the BRS was preparing to merge with the BJP, he accused the BJP-led Central government of being responsible for Governor Jishnu Dev Varma’s delay in approving a file related to the arrest of former minister KT Rama Rao in the Formula E race case, which, according to him, has been pending for nearly two months.
Revanth was addressing a street-corner meeting in Rahmathnagar after a massive roadshow as part of his campaign for the Jubilee Hills byelection. He was joined by AIMIM MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig Quadri in support of Congress candidate Naveen Yadav.
“Modi ne chor ko kab pakdega? (When will Modi catch the thief?)” he asked. “We have sent a file with evidence to the Governor on the Formula E case, but it is still pending. What is your secret agreement in this?” he questioned Kishan Reddy, alleging that the BJP is planning to transfer its votes to the BRS as part of their understanding.
KCR ended tradition of unanimously electing kin of departed MLAs: CM
“The BJP and BRS have a Fevicol bond,” Revanth quipped, daring Kishan Reddy to prove him wrong and claimed that the BJP leader had surrendered to BRS president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
The chief minister reiterated his demand for the arrest of KCR, KTR, and Harish Rao in corruption cases.
Accusing KCR of humiliating former minister P Janardhan Reddy’s wife and daughter by making them wait outside his residence for three hours, Revanth demanded an apology from the BRS chief to the late leader’s family.
“KCR ended the tradition of ensuring the unanimous election of a family member to the Assembly in the event of the sudden death of a sitting MLA. The BRS broke the practice in the cases of Congress MLAs Ramreddy Venkat Reddy (Palair), Patolla Krishna Reddy (Narayanakhed), and P Janardhan Reddy (Khairatabad),” he said.
The chief minister further accused KTR of neglecting civic issues in the Jubilee Hills constituency despite being the Municipal Administration minister. “KTR, who is not ready to give even 25% of his family property to his sister Kavitha, will betray his party candidate Maganti Sunitha as well. How can we trust him when he says he would support her?” Revanth said.
Appealing to Muslim voters to remain vigilant, Revanth warned that the BRS “car” symbol would turn into the BJP’s “lotus” once it reaches Delhi.
He recalled that it was AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi who had first recognised Naveen Yadav’s leadership qualities and fielded him in the 2014 election. “The Congress has now given him the ticket after elevating Mohammad Azharuddin as a Cabinet minister,” Revanth said, alleging that Kishan Reddy had earlier tried to block Azharuddin’s appointment as minister.
Natarajan, Ponnam hold door-to-door campaign
Meanwhile, AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, along with Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, held a door-to-door campaign in Yousufguda, highlighting the various welfare and development programmes being implemented by the Congress government.
They appealed to voters to elect party candidate Naveen Yadav, describing him as an educated, local leader who will ensure development of Jubilee Hills.
Later in the day, Prabhakar, accompanied by MP Anil Kumar Yadav, visited the residence of Gangula Gunnamma and Kalpana in Borabanda’s Brahma Shankar Nagar, who were killed in the recent Chevella-Mirzaguda bus accident.
They paid floral tributes to the deceased and consoled the bereaved family members, assuring them that the government would extend full support to them.
