Large turnout for Karimnagar Kavathu public meeting

Karimnagar: A large number of people turned out for the Congress meeting styled as ‘Karimnagar Kavathu’ on the concluding day of the party’s Haath Se Haath Jodo padayatra in this parliamentary segment, at Ambedkar stadium on Thursday.

Congress leaders from Karimnagar and neighbouring districts did extensive campaigning for the past few days to organise maximum people for the highly billed event.

The padayatra led by state party chief Revanth Reddy began on Feb 6 in Medaram of Mulugu district and it covered three parliament segments -- Mahabubabad, Warangal and Karimnagar— so far.

Josh and enthusiasm was evident among the Congress party cadre as also the top and second rung leaders on the concluding day of the padayatra in this parliament segment. The  yatra started from Padmanagar bypass road, wended its way through the streets and reached the Ambedkar stadium for the public rally.

Flexis, banners and hoardings welcoming Revanth Reddy and other senior leaders were displayed at several places across the city.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders including former Union minister Balram Naik and former minister Shabbir Ali along with city Congress president Narendar Reddy released a charge-sheet against BC welfare minister Gangula Kamalakar, alleging that he was indulging in several illegal activities in Karimnagar constituency.

Speaking to the media at the meeting venue, they alleged that Kamalakar had, after encroaching onto 14 acres of waqf board lands in Hajipur, registered these in the name of a binami.

“To escape paying ₹750 crore as tax to the government, he ran a Hawala network and is demanding a 30 per cent commission in the constructions of double-bedroom houses.

In the name of construction of the IT Tower in Karimnagar city, Kamalakar wasted ₹35 crore of public money. This apart, by using fake CBI officials, he indulged in several illegal activities.”

“These apart, without conducting a tender process, he handed over the construction of the R&B circuit house building to his binami.”

The Congress leaders also alleged that the check dams in the Manair river were constructed in a casual manner with a view to collecting hefty amounts as commissions. “Because of this, they tend to get washed away even when there is a mild rainfall.”