"Ajab Prem Ki...": KTR Alleges A BJP-Congress "Love Affair" In Telangana

The Congress and BJP fight against each other across the country, but have a "strange love story" in Telangana, former state minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao told NDTV today. Popularly known as KTR, Mr Rao is the son of former Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao. He is on a visit to Delhi, during which he met Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and flagged alleged corruption involving Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in the implementation of AMRUT scheme in the state.

AMRUT -- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) -- focuses on development of basic infrastructure in selected cities in the sectors of water supply; sewerage, drainage, green spaces and parks and non-motorised transport.

KTR has alleged that the Congress government was facilitating corruption in AMRUT tenders to benefit a company linked to Revanth Reddy's brother-in-law Sujan Reddy. He has said the company, Sodha Constructions, recorded a meagre profit in the years before the Congress came to power in Telangana and lacks the credentials to handle such large projects. This, he said, raises questions about the tender process.

Speaking to NDTV, the BRS leader said he hoped that the Centre would take action. "This company lacks necessary qualifications. This is the biggest example of crony capitalism. BJP and Congress fight against each other, but in Telangana i see Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani. The BJP sits quietly against the Congress government in Telangana," he said. While the Congress holds 76 seats in the 119-member Telangana Assembly, the BRS is the main Opposition with 28 MLAs. The BJP holds eight seats in the House. Earlier, Revanth Reddy brother-in-law had sued KTR for defamation over his social media posts alleging corruption in the tender process.

Telangana Revenue Minister said the BRS leader had travelled to Delhi to seek the help of "bigwigs". He also questioned if Mr Rao was in Delhi to "plead" with Union ministers to withdraw charges against him in the Formula-E race funds transfer case. The minister accused KTR of diverting Rs 55 crore to a Formula-E racing company without the cabinet's approval. The matter is now being probed by the state police's anti-corruption bureau.

Ever since the Congress unseated the BRS to form the government in Telangana last year, multiple issues have triggered heated exchanges between KTR and Revanth Reddy. Many of these exchanges have also escalated to personal attacks, with KTR referring to Mr Reddy as a "Cheap Minister" and the Congress leader saying that KTR is "day-dreaming" that his party will return to power.