HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary K.C. Venugopal in Delhi on Tuesday. Sources said the discussions, which lasted for about an hour, focused on the ongoing controversy surrounding the HYDRAA demolitions and the Musi river development project in Hyderabad.
The CM also met Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Congress Rajya Sabha member from Telangana and Supreme Court senior counsel.
According to party sources, the high command reportedly instructed Revanth Reddy to exercise caution in handling these sensitive issues and urged him not to take hasty actions that could provoke public anger. The leadership emphasised the need for a balanced approach to avoid backlash against the Congress over the demolition of houses and other properties.
It was learnt that Kharge and Venugopal specifically questioned the Chief Minister regarding the recent demolition activities, following strong remarks made by the High Court against the HYDRAA on Monday. Revanth Reddy explained that HYDRAA had been set up to safeguard lakes and government-owned properties. He explained that the demolitions were part of an ongoing survey and a plan to revitalise the Musi as part of a larger project to make Musi an economic and tourism hub to boost the economy and job creation.
Sources revealed that Kharge advised the Chief Minister to ensure that no injustice is done to the poor, stressing the importance of preventing any public unrest due to these projects. The leadership suggested that the Congress government should take careful steps to maintain the confidence of the people while advancing these initiatives.
Additionally, Kharge and Revanth Reddy discussed the implementation of government schemes and the potential expansion of the state cabinet, which is expected to take place by Dasara.
The Chief Minister, who arrived in Delhi on Monday night, returned to Hyderabad on Tuesday evening following the discussions.
This meeting comes at a crucial time as the Congress-led government faces criticism from opposition parties over the handling of the HYDRAA demolitions, with public sentiment growing tense around the issue.
