BRS wants dismissal of Minister Ponguleti, plans to take matter to Governor’s notice

HYDERABAD

Working president of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) K.T. Rama Rao has demanded that the government dismiss Minister for Revenue and Housing Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy for the involvement of his family-run company Raghava Constructions in illegal mining or else the BRS will complain to the Governor and take the issue to the people.

In a statement issued after the suspension of 24 BRS legislators from the remainder of the Assembly session by the Speaker on Sunday, he said when the government had exhibited utmost urgency in taking action against some companies that were involved in illegal mining in the past, why it was hesitating to take action against Raghava Constructions. Was it because it belonged to a Minister’s family, he asked.

Mr. Rama Rao sought to know how the Minister’s son, wife and brother would become distant relatives to him, as claimed by the CM, and mentioned that the Minister himself was the chairman of the company till 2022.

He ridiculed the Minister for Mining G. Vivek terming the issue involving only ₹4 lakh and pointed out that the company was involved in the mining irregularities for the last two-and-a-half years. On the government claims of improvement in mining revenue, the BRS leader said against the expected ₹1,800 crore only half of it was realised.