KCR tells leaders not to panic over raids, calls it ‘poachgate’ retaliation
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is learnt to have told his party members that the ongoing raids on TRS leaders by central agencies were at the behest of the “Delhi rulers” (BJP) to harass the TRS in retaliation to the pink party exposing the BJP’s attempt to poach its MLAs, sources said.
Rao told his ministers and senior leaders to not panic over the raids, assuring moral and legal support from the party. He cited raids on ministers Gangula Kamalakar, Talasani Srinivas Yadav’s family members and Rajya Sabha member Vaddiraju Ravichandra over the past few days as attempts to harass TRS.
The CM is learnt to have spoken to a few ministers, party MLAs and senior leaders over the phone from Pragathi Bhavan on Tuesday in the wake of I-T raids on residences and educational institutions of labour minister Chamakura Malla Reddy and his family members.
A meeting planned later in the day with ministers was called off over a Khammam incident, where a forest range officer was killed by tribals over the podu land issue.
The I-T raids on Malla Reddy and his family members on Tuesday created panic among TRS circles. The multiple raids by central investigation agencies such as I-T, ED and CBI on TRS leaders in the past few days are sending shivers down the spine of TRS leaders.
As soon as the news about I-T raids broke out on Tuesday, ministers and MLAs under GHMC limits rushed to Telangana Bhavan to discuss the issue. Ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Mohd. Mahmood Ali and city MLAs were present.
Later, speaking to media personnel at the Telangana Bhavan, Talasani accused the BJP government at the Centre of misusing central agencies to target political rivals.
In another press meeting at the TRSLP office, MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy expressed fear that he would be the next target. “BJP is targeting TRS with central agencies for questioning the wrongdoings of Centre. TRS is the only party in the country which is taking BJP head on and questioning its wrong policies due to which they developed grudge against TRS and Telangana,” he alleged.
