BRS-BJP friendship stands exposed, says Telangana Congress chief

Hyderabad, Oct 4 (IANS) Telangana Congress President A. Revanth Reddy said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narenda Modi has exposed the secret friendship between BRS and BJP, alleging that the saffron party has a share in the corruption of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.

Revanth Reddy said the Prime Minister’s claim at a public meeting in Nizamabad on Tuesday that KCR wanted to join the NDA proves that there is a secret friendship between the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President also demanded the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) to spell out its stand towards BRS after Modi’s statement.

He said MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi should tell the people, especially the Muslims, if he would continue his friendship with KCR even after coming to know about his secret relationship with the BJP.

Addressing a news conference, Revanth Reddy also alleged that KCR is giving protection money to the BJP.

“BJP has a share in KCR’s corruption money and that is why it is not taking any action against him,” he claimed.

The Congress leader said the Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J.P. Nadda had made specific allegations of corruption against KCR, but they have not taken any action against him.

Revanth Reddy said he had also lodged complaints with the central investigating agencies about the Dharani portal, Singareni coal mines, sales of Outer Ring Road (ORR) and irregularities in the sale of government lands around Hyderabad, but no action was taken.

“Prime Minister Modi himself said that there was corruption in the Kaleshwaram project and Mission Bhagiratha. When you know that KCR has indulged in corruption and when you are in power at the Centre, why investigating agencies like ED, CBI and Income Tax department took no action against KCR,” he asked.

Revanth Reddy also claimed that the BRS and the BJP will have a seat-sharing alliance in the state for next year's Lok Sabha elections, adding that a sitting BRS MP has shared with him that his seat is being given to the BJP as part of the alliance.

The Congress leader also claimed that under the alliance, BRS will contest in nine seats, while the BJP will contest seven seats, and one seat will be left for the MIM.

On Modi’s allegation that KCR gave money to the Congress in Karnataka, Revanth Reddy said that if he had this information, why didn't he ask the ED and I-T Department to book cases.