Hyderabad: The KTR assets challenge deepened the row between BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Rama Rao called for a sitting Supreme Court judge to examine the assets of both families.
He said he was ready to face punishment if the probe found wrongdoing on his part. Reports also quoted him as accepting a probe by a sitting High Court judge. Rama Rao was responding to Revanth Reddy’s remarks about his assets. He said both families should place their asset details before a sitting judge.
He said he started a hotel business in 2006 after returning from the United States. Rama Rao also said he had disclosed his assets and business interests in election affidavits. He sarcastically thanked Revanth Reddy for giving his hotels publicity.
KTR assets challenge extends to family holdings
Rama Rao said questions about his family’s wealth ignored older landholdings in Chintamadaka. At the same time, he raised questions about the assets of Revanth Reddy’s brothers. He questioned how Kondal Reddy had become linked to an aerospace company. Rama Rao had earlier raised allegations about Tesseract Advanced Systems and Kondal Reddy.
Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu had disputed that link in August. However, other reports cited material indicating an association. The KTR assets challenge also covered earlier probes. Rama Rao referred to inquiries into the Kaleshwaram project and power purchase agreements. He also asked what had emerged from the Formula E case. A Hyderabad ACB court had adjourned the case involving Rama Rao to October 30.
KTR assets challenge followed Sircilla remarks
Rama Rao also criticised the Congress government over the plight of weavers in Sircilla. He alleged that 34 handloom workers had died since Congress came to power. A recent report said 34 weavers in Sircilla had reportedly died by suicide over the past three years. Another same-day report quoted Rama Rao as saying around 35 had died.
Rama Rao said he had expected the government to provide ₹1 lakh to the affected families. He also criticised security arrangements during Revanth Reddy’s Sircilla visit. He used the “Nallamala Tiger” description sarcastically for the Chief Minister. He questioned a security deployment that he described as involving 4,000 police personnel.
Rama Rao also compared Revanth Reddy unfavourably with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. A same-day report carried similar remarks about the police deployment and the comparison.
Further, he asked whether the Chief Minister was focused on governing or making social media reels. He also questioned what he described as Revanth Reddy’s frustration nearly three years after taking office.
KTR assets challenge broadens into governance attack
The BRS leader also criticised the Congress government over its election promises. He said he would keep questioning Revanth Reddy about promises made to different groups. Reports quoted him as raising issues involving farmers, weavers, youth, BCs, Dalits and minorities.
Rama Rao also criticised the BJP-led Union government. He alleged that several promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not been fulfilled. He used a saying about understanding the value of a mother and food only after losing them. He argued that people were comparing the current government with the previous BRS rule.
Rama Rao also attacked Revanth Reddy’s political record. He alleged that parties associated with him had suffered and claimed Congress would face the same result. The KTR assets challenge remained the main point of his remarks. He said a judicial probe into both families would test the competing claims.
The reports reviewed did not include a fresh response from Revanth Reddy to the latest challenge. His earlier remarks about Rama Rao’s assets had prompted the exchange.