Revanth alleges BJP-BRS nexus over silence in Rohit Reddy drug case

Hyderabad

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy questioned the silence of BJP leaders over the arrest of a former MLA in the Rohit Reddy drug case, alleging a clear conspiracy and hinting at a possible political understanding between the BJP and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

In an informal chat with reporters on Friday, he asked why senior BJP leaders like Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and State BJP chief N. Ramchander Rao, had not reacted so far.

“BJP leaders who react even to minor issues have not uttered a single word in this case. What is the reason behind this silence?” he asked.

When asked about their political proximity, he said time would reveal whether the two parties would contest together in future elections or whether the BRS would merge with the BJP.

Responding to questions about the pace of investigations into the alleged E-car rally case, the phone-tapping case and the Kaleshwaram ‘corruption’ case, he said that the Congress government believed in due process.

“If procedures are not followed, the same media will question us. It is for the investigating agencies to take the cases forward,” he said, adding that the government did not want to be accused of witch-hunting.

On the phone-tapping case, he reminded that the main accused, Prabhakar Rao, had returned to India after over a year in the United States. “Whatever he has revealed during questioning and those named by him must be summoned for inquiry,” he said.

Regarding the E-Car race case, the Chief Minister said IAS officer Arvind Kumar was suspended only after the Centre granted the required permission. “Following due process takes time,” he maintained.

The Chief Minister also threw a challenge to BRS leaders T. Harish Rao and K.T. Rama Rao to demand a probe into land conversions, Transferable Development Rights (TDR), and the HILT policy, stating he was ready to announce such an investigation on the floor of the Assembly.

Ridiculing the BRS allegation of ₹5 lakh crore corruption in the HILT policy, he said that even if 4,500 acres out of the 9,000-acre layouts under HILT were sold, the value would be far less than ₹5 lakh crore. The HILT was essentially a zone and land-use conversion mechanism, he said.