Prime Minister Modi speaks about Congress using Telangana as an ATM and a R-R (Rahul-Revanth) tax being imposed in Telangana, causing rampant corruption. If his allegations are true, why is there silence on the AMRUT tenders scam? We gave all necessary evidence for the Centre to act. This is a litmus test for the BJP’s sincerity,” he said.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Tuesday, Rama Rao lashed out at the Congress government for blatant crony capitalism and corruption. He cited tenders under AMRUT 2.0 as an example where works were awarded to companies linked to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s family.
“If the allegations made by BJP leaders about corruption in Telangana are true, why is there no action?” he asked.
The BRS working president said Sodha Constructions, owned by Revanth Reddy’s brother-in-law Sujan Reddy, was handed a tender worth Rs 1,137 crore. Sodha Constructions which recorded meagre net profits of Rs 3.5 crore in 2020-21 and 2021-22, lacked the credentials to handle such large projects, raising serious questions about the tendering process, he said.
“This is a blatant violation of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Representation of the People Act,” Rama Rao said, urging the Centre to investigate the
matter thoroughly. He reminded that many leaders including Sonia Gandhi were forced to quit their posts for misusing their office, and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy also would meet the same fate.
He informed that the BRS lodged a complaint with Union Minister for Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar, who assured to look into the issue and respond before the Parliament session scheduled to begin on November 25. He asserted that the BRS would raise the issue in the Rajya Sabha if there was no action.
The former Minister took aim at Congress Lok Sabha leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of hypocrisy.
“Rahul Gandhi often decries crony capitalism and corruption, yet his party is encouraging the same malpractice in Telangana. There cannot be a bigger example of crony capitalism, corruption, and abuse of power, than the Congress itself,” he remarked.
He also felt that the BJP seemed to be in cahoots with the Congress in Telangana. He reminded that despite having eight MPs, the BJP leaders did not speak against the Congress government’s corruption. Instead, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay and other BJP leaders come to support Revanth Reddy whenever the BRS questions the latter’s policies, he pointed out.