4 MLAs of TRS should be disqualified: Uttam Kumar Reddy

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday demanded that the Chief Minister disqualify four MLAs from the Assembly who are allegedly involved in a drugs scandal.

Addressing the media along with AICC official spokesperson Dasoju Sravan and Telangana Fishermen Congress chairman Mettu Sai, he said that the Bangalore police recorded the statement of a prominent businessman who said that four MLAs of TRS were involved in the drug scandal. He said that as per the information with him, the names of four MLAs of TRS were not included in the drugs case. He said sources in Bengaluru informed him that the MLAs taken drugs at a party held in Bengaluru.

Uttam Kumar alleged that Telangana Rashtra Samithi has colluded with the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and has been trying to cover up the case. Telangana BJP leaders have also been helping TRS in this regard. "If BJP has not colluded with the TRS, why has it not been bringing pressure on the Karnataka government to take up action on the four MLAs?" he wanted to know. He made it clear that abuse of drugs by the four MLAs was perfect ground for disqualification of MLAs from Assembly. He said that they would meet the Governor and submit a memorandum in this regard.

The TPCC chief reminded that in the past, two MLAs of Congress were disqualified from the Assembly for no rhyme or reason from the Assembly. "Now the TRS MLAs have brought disgrace to the state by getting involved in the drugs scandal.

Why the Chief Minister did not disqualify them? It is shame on the government," he criticised. He said that it has become a habit to Chief Minister, ministers and MLAs to humiliate the people. He said that the CM has likened the women of Nalgonda district to dogs when they tried to give a representation on Podu lands cultivation.

He said that people of Telangana, particularly voters of Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly constituency where a bypoll is being held, should understand how the TRS government has been indulging in misrule with arrogance of power and money. He urged tribes of Nagarjuna Sagar not to give their votes to TRS candidate. He said that minister Malla Reddy was caught red handed while asking for the bribes on tape. He wanted to know why the Chief Minister has not removed the minister from the cabinet. Why the Chief Minister was lenient towards the minister who indulged in fraud, he wanted to know. He said that they would take this also to the notice of the Governor.

Uttam alleged that the BJP and TRS colluded in Nagarjuna Sagar to defeat the Congress candidate. The BJP has fielded a weak candidate to help the TRS. He said that the sand reaches were looted in the state by the leaders of TRS party. "Sand, land, mines and wines have become sources of money to the TRS leaders," he said.

Reddy alleged that KCR also colluded with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and allowing diversion of Krishna River water at Srisailam to Andhra Pradesh. He said the CM did not speak a word while the AP government raised the level of Pothireddypadu and taken up construction to draw water at Sangameswara. He wondered whether KCR was deliberately allowing AP to divert Krishna water.

"If Krishna river dries up, Telangana CM wants to take Godavari water to Nagarjuna Sagar so that more lift schemes could be constructed and he would have a chance to take commissions," he alleged . He said that works to lift 1 tmcft water from Kaleswaram was taken up in spite of spread of Covid pandemic in the country in last year.

The government spent Rs 24,000 crore of public money on the works which was a waste. He warned that due to the corrupt activities of the CM, the command area under Nagarjuna Sagar would go dry up. He alleged that money and liquor were flowing freely in Nagarjuna Sagar and the Chief Electoral Officer of the State and the Returning Officer were not taking any steps to control it. He said that they would meet the Chief Election Commissioner of India on April 10 and would lodge a complaint on the malpractices of TRS in Nagarjuna Sagar. He also demanded that the Election Commission ensue free and fair election in Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly constituency.