"Let us go to the chief justice of Telangana. You place all the records related to the awarding of the work to Revanth Reddy's brother-in-law Sudini Srujan Reddy. If the chief justice says there is no merit in my allegation, I will renounce politics," KTR said.
Published Sep 22, 2024 | 4:16 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 22, 2024 | 5:27 PM
KTR alleges favouritism by Telangana CM Revanth Reddy
BRS working president K T Rama Rao on Sunday, 22 September, said he was ready not only to resign as an MLA but also quit politics forever if his allegations were proved baseless that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had benefited his brother-in-law Sudini Srujan Reddy by awarding Amrut 2.0 contract through Indian Hume Pipes Ltd.
Speaking to media persons, the BRS leader, reacting to Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy denying the allegation of favouritism by the chief minister, said: “Let us go to the chief justice of Telangana. You place all the records related to the awarding of the work to Revanth Reddy’s brother-in-law Sudini Srujan Reddy. If the chief justice says there is no merit in my allegation, I will renounce politics,” he said.
The BRS working president on Saturday, 21 September, accused Revanth Reddy of awarding a contract to a joint venture formed between AMR India Ltd, Shoda Constructions Pxvt Ltd and Indian Hume Pipe Company Ltd of which, Shoda is owned by Srujan Reddy. The Municipal Administration Department of Telangana, which is under the watch of Revanth Reddy, cleared the order in March this year in favour of the Joint Venture for a value of Rs.1,137.77 crore. He also said that Indian Hume Pipe Company was to execute only 20 percent of the total work order for implementing water supply and sewerage projects in towns in Telangana state.
In a sharp reaction to KTR’s allegation, Revenue Minister Srinivasa Reddy, on Saturday evening, said that there was no corruption in the awarding of the works to the Joint Venture. He said that KTR had made a wild allegation that there were irregularities in respect of the execution of works with Amrut 2.0 funds of Rs.8,888 crore. He said that the tenders for Amrut 2.0 works crore were called by previous BRS government on 29 November, last year, just one day ahead of the polling for Assembly elections and when model code of conduct was in force. After the Congress took over, the same tenders were finalised for Rs.3,516 crore, less than Rs. 54.49 crore. Ponguleti had said he would quit politics if KTR proved that there was corruption or favouritism in awarding the contract.
The BRS Leader, on Sunday, took a serious exception to the claims of Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and sought to ridicule him saying that Srujan Reddy was not brother-in-law of Revanth Reddy to clear the chief minister’s name. “Let Ponguleti know that Srujan Reddy is brother of Revanth Reddy’s wife,” he said, if Ponguleti had any problem in tabling files related to awarding of Amrut 2.0 works before the chief justice, let Ponguleti and Revanth Reddy accompany him to Delhi next week and present the case before the Central Vigilance Commission or any other probe agency.
The BRS leader said that both Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and Revanth Reddy knew that irregularities took place in awarding the Amrut 2.0 works and that Revanth Reddy, after taking oath that he would not resort to favouritism, had benefited his brother-in-law with works of over Rs. 1,000 crore at a time when his company had had only Rs.2 crore profit.
KTR said that the Congress government was shamelessly benefiting Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy by awarding work to a company owned by his brother for the execution of Kodangal Lift Irrigation Scheme and that of Revanth Reddy’s brother-in-law to mobilise funds for the party high command. He said it was surprising that union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar were not saying a word about the Amrut 2.0 funds scam. They should be in the forefront calling the Congress government to account because it is their funds that are being siphoned off, KTR said.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
