Ponguleti challenges KTR’s claim

Hyderabad: Strongly condemning the claims of BRS working president K T Rama Rao that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s family has secured AMRUT scheme contracts against the norms, Revenue Minister Pongulet Srinivas Reddy warned that besides legal action, a defamation case will be filed against him.

The Minister also dared him for an open debate and if his claims are proved he would resign as Minister, otherwise KTR should give up his legislator’s position and resign.

Addressing the media persons at Secretariat, Ponguleti held that the former MA&UD Minister has jumped the gun as these tenders were valued at Rs 3,516 crores, but not Rs 8,888 crore as claimed by KTR.

Further, he pointed out that those were open bids and the companies involved were qualified and the entire process was taken forward with transparency and under the existing norms. Over the claims of CM’s kin were benefitted, the Minister said that Shodha company’s Srujan Reddy who is a distant relative is also closely associated with BRS’s politicians. Shodha is one of the three companies involved in the bid.

“Yes he is a relative of Revanth Reddy, but he is more related to KTR as his father-in-law Upender Reddy is the one who has contested against me and lost. The BRS leader has lost with more than 57,000 votes,” the Minister said.

Explaining the need for scrapping the earlier tender process and inviting fresh bids by the present government, Ponguleti said that the price bid was opened just a day before the Assembly elections in 2023 by the former BRS regime and in a war footing the entire process was pushed through.

“After our government came to power the tenders were cancelled, as the earlier failed to comply with norms. In the latest tender process they quoted less and Rs 54 crores were saved.

KTR is indulging in criticism without substantial evidence. If there is any speck of truth in your claims, I am ready to resign. Will you resign as MLA ,” he asked.