Hyderabad: K. T. Rama Rao warned that the BRS would approach the Governor over the Ponguleti corruption allegations if the state government fails to act against Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy.
He demanded the Minister’s immediate dismissal, alleging corruption and illegal mining activities. KTR said the party would escalate the issue with a formal complaint to the Governor and take it to the public if needed.
He stated that revelations made by T. Harish Rao had exposed a major scam. According to him, documentary evidence sourced from government records pointed to violations by a company linked to the Minister’s family.
KTR questioned why the government had taken action against other firms involved in illegal mining but had not acted against Raghava Constructions. He asked whether the inaction stemmed from the company’s links to the Minister or from the Chief Minister’s involvement.
He said the Chief Minister had admitted that irregularities occurred but later attempted to defend the government. KTR criticised the claim that the company belonged to distant relatives of the Minister, calling it misleading.
Ponguleti corruption allegations trigger demand for probe
KTR alleged that the Minister’s wife, son, and brother were directly associated with the company. He said the Minister himself served as its chairman between 2020 and 2022. He accused the Chief Minister of issuing contradictory statements that undermined credibility.
He further claimed that the Chief Minister’s defence of the company indicated possible involvement. He pointed to contracts awarded to the firm under the Kodangal Lift Irrigation Project and raised concerns over alleged land irregularities.
KTR also criticised the Mining Minister for describing the issue as minor. He said officials had detected violations worth ₹32 lakh in a single day, suggesting a larger and sustained misuse of public resources.
He alleged that another firm, Bhagyalakshmi Mining in Kokapet, was linked to a close relative of the Chief Minister. He questioned discrepancies in mining revenue, stating that only about ₹900 crore was realised against an expected ₹1,700–1,800 crore.
The BRS demanded a House Committee to investigate the roles of the Minister and others. KTR cited past precedents such as the Obulapuram mining case, where a similar probe ensured transparency.
He also criticised the BJP, alleging that it failed to act as an effective opposition and appeared to support the government during Assembly proceedings.