Published Oct 27, 2024 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 27, 2024 | 9:00 AM
Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy. (Twitter)
Political Telangana is keenly awaiting a ‘bomb’ explosion. The wait began with Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy threatening to hurl a political bomb at the BRS.
The idea of the bomb, apparently, occurred to Srinivasa Reddy as he led a media contingent to Seoul to “study” the tranquil Cheonggyecheon Stream.
The trip was ostensibly to garner support for Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s prestigious Musi riverfront development project that raised a stink after the government went on a demolition drive.
Questions were not raised over how a tranquil stream in downtown Seoul could germinate the idea of a political bomb. Journalists, who were with the minister in the South Korean capital, too, were left guessing. The minister, in turn, let the media let loose its imagination.
The only connection that journalists could make out was the timing. Srinivasa Reddy mentioned the “bomb” even as Telangana, along with the country, was sprucing itself up to celebrate Deepavali.
Imagination did run wild over the “teaser” that the minister had released. Could it be about the Dharani portal since he has been holding the revenue portfolio in the Congress government? It has also been rumoured that BRS bigwigs would be named in a yet-to-be-revealed scam.
Despite the “bomb” threat, the BRS looked unperturbed. However, journalists met BRS working president KT Rama Rao, hoping to get some details of the threat but were left disappointed.
“I do not know which bomb Ponguleti is referring to. Maybe he will explain the ED case against his son for smuggling in expensive watches,” the BRS leader said.
However, he questioned the lethality of the “bomb”. I don’t know if it would be a Lakshmi Bomb (the best variety of Deepavali cracker) or suthil bomb (jute-twined cracker) or a thussu bomb (dud),” he said.
Putting up a brave facade, he continued: “Let them try to set off any number of bombs. We are not worried,” he said, forcing the media to continue its wait.
