Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B Mahesh Kumar Goud challenged KTR to an open debate, accusing the BRS of widespread deforestation during its decade in power.
Published Apr 11, 2025 | 8:26 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 11, 2025 | 8:26 PM
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Kumar Goud. (X)
Synopsis: The Telangana Congress has dismissed BRS leader KT Rama Rao’s allegation of a ₹10,000 crore land scam involving 400 acres in Kancha Gachibowli, calling it an attempt to mislead the public. TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud defended the land transfer as lawful and said the funds raised were used for farmers’ welfare. He accused the BRS of hypocrisy and widespread deforestation during its tenure.
The ruling Congress party in Telangana has rejected allegations made by BRS working president KT Rama Rao, who claimed a scam worth ₹10,000 crore had taken place involving 400 acres of forested land in Kancha Gachibowli.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad on Friday, 11 April, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B Mahesh Kumar Goud challenged KTR to an open debate, accusing the BRS of widespread deforestation during its decade in power.
“Is KTR prepared to discuss deforestation that took place under BRS governance?” he asked. “If any government plundered public wealth at record speed, it was the BRS.”
He alleged that KTR was “orchestrating drama” to mislead the public. He added: “Doesn’t the BRS have a track record of selling over 10,000 acres in the GHMC area? Isn’t it true that prime government lands around Hyderabad were transferred to your allies?”
Mahesh Kumar also claimed that KTR had previously struck a deal with IMG Bharata’s Billy Rao for a 30 percent commission, which allegedly fell through after the 400 acres in question were restored to the state, prompting KTR’s recent criticism.
He further called on KTR to reveal the name of the BJP MP he alleged had helped the Telangana government raise the ₹10,000 crore loan. “KTR promised to reveal the name within 48 hours but has since beat a hasty retreat,” he said.
“Those 400 acres in Kancha Gachibowli belong to the government. Adhering to the guidelines, we transferred the land to TSIIC [Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation] which raised a loan of ₹10,000 crore with help of a company. The state government utilised the funds for farmers’ welfare. The state government had paid ₹170 crore to the company which facilitated raising of the loan,” Mahesh Kumar said.
He also referred to earlier land allocations under the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, which he said were given to IMG Bharat. He credited former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy with reclaiming the land after taking office in 2004.
Mahesh Kumar also criticised what her termed as “propaganda” using artificial intelligence to create misleading visuals, including depictions of wildlife fleeing the Kancha Gachibowli area. “Those spreading lies will face consequences,” he warned.
Turning to KTR’s alleged role in the Formula E race controversy, he said there appeared to be influential interests shielding the BRS leader. “KTR knows his arrest is inevitable,” he said.
He also accused the previous BRS government of hypocrisy. “When KCR allotted 134 acres of HCU land to TNGOs, was KTR unaware it was university’s property? Why was he silent then? Didn’t the BRS lay roads on university lands to favour real estate tycoons?” he asked.
Mahesh Kumar further claimed that during the BRS tenure, advertisements for government land sales had outpaced those by private developers.
He accused KTR of encouraging encroachment on university lands by questioning why institutions needed large tracts of land.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
