'Making father a scapegoat': Kavitha accuses cousins of corruption
What's the story
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Kalvakuntla Kavitha has accused her cousins, former irrigation minister T Harish Rao and former MP J Santosh Rao, of corruption in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. She alleged they amassed huge assets while making her father and party president K Chandrasekhar Rao a scapegoat. The allegations come amid a Central Bureau of Investigation probe ordered by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy into the project.
Probe criticism
Will everyone call KCR a CBI case? Kavitha asks
Kavitha questioned the necessity of a CBI probe against her father, saying, "When a great leader like KCR is forced to face a CBI inquiry, does it even matter whether the BRS survives or not?" She warned that tarnishing KCR's reputation would also damage their family's honor. "From now on, will everyone call KCR a CBI case?" she asked at a press conference in Hyderabad after returning from a 10-day US trip.
Project allegations
Kavitha names others involved in alleged corruption
Kavitha reiterated that Harish and Santosh were instrumental in the Kaleshwaram project, along with contractor Megha Krishna Reddy. She claimed Harish's removal as irrigation minister during the BRS's second term was due to his alleged involvement in these irregularities. The MLC also accused her detractors of spreading "false propaganda" against her on social media platforms.
Party response
Why is BRS not responding strongly to the investigation?
Kavitha questioned why the BRS was not responding strongly to the investigation, arguing that losing an election is one thing, but losing honor is worse. "Why has the BRS not called for a Telangana bandh when Revanth Reddy announced a CBI probe into Kaleshwaram?" she asked. She also said she would remain independent and demanded a direct inquiry into those she named, claiming real facts would emerge from such an investigation.