Rythu Bandhu Aid Given to Contractors, Land Usurped: Congress in ECI Complaint

Hyderabad: TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy and MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday, in a complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleged that the BRS government diverted '6,000 crore of Rythu Bandhu aid to clear dues of contractors. They also claimed that revenue officials were registering assigned land parcels in the name of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s benamis, misusing the Dharani portal.

Calling on Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj to submit a memorandum addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Congress leaders said that the model code of conduct was still in force and that the state government must be stopped from taking steps in violation of it.

Revanth Reddy alleged that since the ECI did not permit the Rythu Bandhu disbursement before the Assembly elections, the BRS government was disbursing the same funds to “favoured contractors for receiving commissions/kickbacks”.

“In the last two to three days in power, when MCC is in place, government of Telangana is disbursing '6,000 crore to selected contractors in an illegal manner,” he alleged.

Congress leaders said the payments were being made on an out-of-turn basis to favour select contractors.

They alleged that land parcels over thousands of acres in Rangareddy, Sangareddy and Medchal districts, all surrounding Hyderabad, were being transferred to “benamis of Chief Minister’s family members”.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that they sought a direction from the ECI to the Chief Secretary to follow due process. They said the present BRS government should not be allowed to misuse its powers when the MCC is in force and in “what are likely the last 2 to 3 days of the state government”.

When asked about the state Cabinet meeting convened by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on December 4, Uttam Kumar Reddy said they were not aware of why he called the meeting. “He may have called the meeting to submit his resignation to the Governor,” he said.