BJP collecting "protection money" from BRS: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy

Karimnagar (Telangana) [India], February 6 (ANI): Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of colluding with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and shielding its leaders from corruption cases in exchange for political and financial benefits.
Addressing a gathering in Karimnagar on Thursday, Reddy alleged that the BJP was protecting BRS leaders involved in corruption by collecting "protection money".
"You (BJP) are protecting BRS leaders who resorted to corruption and collecting protection money from them. You are collecting money from them to protect them," Revanth Reddy said.
Referring to the alleged Kaleshwaram irrigation project scam, the Chief Minister challenged the BJP to demonstrate sincerity by ensuring the arrests of BRS leaders K Chandrasekhar Rao and Harish Rao before the local elections.
"If you [BJP] have sincerity, then before the elections, CBI should arrest Harish Rao and KCR in connection with Kaleshwaram scam. Only after that BJP should ask for votes in Telangana. It's your innocence if you think that Telangana people are not watching your Fevicol politics," said Reddy.
Reddy further alleged that the BJP-led Centre was delaying action in the Formula-E race case involving BRS leader KT Rama Rao (KTR). He said a letter seeking permission to initiate action against KTR and certain IAS officers had been pending with the Centre for the past six months.
"A letter has been written to the Centre seeking permission to initiate action on KTR and IAS officers in connection with formula-e, and it has been pending for the last six months. Isn't it the BJP which is protecting KCR and Harish Rao in the Kaleshwaram scam and KTR in the Formula-e scam? BJP and BRS relations will remain in the upcoming local body polls and they are trying to affect the Congress," Revanth Reddy said.
Highlighting recent electoral outcomes, Reddy said the BJP's success in winning eight Lok Sabha seats in Telangana was aided by the BRS. He noted that the BRS failed to win a single parliamentary seat and lost deposits in eight constituencies.
"BJP won 8 Parliament seats. Isn't it because of BRS? BRS didn't win a single seat and lost deposits in 8 seats. Today, BRS is claiming victory in the local body polls. I am asking how these BRS people will win when they lost deposits in the last Parliament elections," Revanth Reddy said.
Reddy also recalled earlier remarks by BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had described the Kaleshwaram project as an "ATM of the state."
He said that despite the commission of inquiry submitting its report to the state government, the CBI has yet to initiate a probe.
"You can think about why BRS will help the BJP in diverting the votes. Thousands of crores looted and today I am asking BJP National President, MoS Bandi Sanjay, Kishan Reddy, earlier Amit Shah and Narendra Modi ji said that Kaleshwaram has been made ATM of the state, isn't it the fact? We requested the Centre to initiate the action after Commission on Kaleshwaram scam submitted report to the state govt but CBI didn't initiate the probe till now," said Revanth Reddy. (ANI)