Telangana CM alleged collusion between BJP and BRS over delay in Governor's consent to prosecute KTR for alleged financial irregularities in Formula E race, conducted in Hyderabad during BRS regime.
Published Nov 13, 2024 | 2:58 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 13, 2024 | 3:38 PM
Fact check: Is Congress leaving a trail of broken promises in Telangana?
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said on Tuesday, 12 November that Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has not yet given consent to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)’s plea to prosecute former BRS minister KT Rama Rao in the Formula E Race case.
He said that while replying to a question at Express Adda organised by The Indian Express in Delhi.
The CM said that the ACB had sought permission for prosecution of the BRS leader under section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018, in a case over alleged financial irregularities in the conduct of Formula E Race in Hyderabad when the BRS was in power.
Revanth Reddy expressed his disapproval over the delay in taking a decision on the ACB’s plea to prosecute KTR and alleged that the file seeking permission has been pending with the Governor for 15 days now.
The Telangana CM also alleged that KTR’ was in Delhi recently to plead with the Governor, to not give his consent to the ACB’s plea. The CM said that the delay in granting consent and the fact that the KTR was in Delhi proves that both the BJP and BRS were working hand-in-glove. The BJP appears to have decided to help the BRS, charged Revanth Reddy.
The CM appears to be in a comfortable position regardless of whether Governor gives his approval or not for the probe.
If Governor Jishnu Dev Varma doesn’t give consent, Revanth Reddy can go to town alleging that both the BRS and the BJP were on the same page, which he has already begun doing.
If Jishnu Dev does give consent, the Telangana CM could prosecute KTR, his bete noir and demoralise BRS.
Needless to say, BRS is yet to recover from the shock of a defeat in the Assembly elections and drawing a bank in Lok Sabha elections.
KCR’s spirits were further dampened with the long-term incarceration of his daughter and MLC Kavitha. She was released from Tihar jail in August, after being imprisoned for five months over her role in alleged scam in Delhi Liquor Policy.
While BRS leaders KTR and T Harish Rao continue their “surgical” strikes on Revanth Reddy, Telangana CM seems to have decided to settle scores with KTR, at least to begin with.
But the delay in Governor’s consent to ACB’s plea to prosecute has hamstrung Revanth Reddy’s attempts to demoralise the BRS.
The second best option for the CM is to paint the saffron party in pink, which might damage the prospects of both the BRS and BJP in Telangana. In fact, it is said, this ‘connection’ between the two parties led to the pink party’s poor show in the Assembly, alienating the Muslim minorities.
KTR’s visit to Delhi to complain to Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar and seek a probe into alleged charges of nepotism against Revanth Reddy in awarding Amrut 2.0 contract to Shodha Constructions – owned by his brother-in- law Srujan Reddy – seem to have riled him to no end.
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy answered a query from a media person after taking part in Express Adda over awarding Amrut 2.0 to his brother-in-law.
Clarifying that Srujan Reddy was in fact the son-in-law of former MLA Upender Reddy, Revanth Reddy asked: “Just because he is a Reddy, how can the BRS say he is related to me?”
He also made references to the number of times projects worth thousands of crores were given to Srujan Reddy when BRS was in power. The CM wondered how – BRS, which dubbed the BJP as the largest corrupt party in the country – is reaching out to the very same saffron party leaders with representation to take action against the CM.
(Edited by Neena)
