BRS counters Minister Ponguleti’s claims over land and mining rows, demands his resignation

The BRS has demanded the resignation of Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, alleging his family-owned firms were involved in illegal mining and land disputes. Party leaders accused him of conflict of interest, claiming he fled Assembly sessions and allowed colleagues to respond on his behalf.

Hyderabad: The BRS shot back at Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and demanded his immediate resignation over involvement of private companies belonging to his family in alleged irregularities in mining and land disputes. Pointing to conflict of interest, the party leaders said the Revenue Minister had no moral right to continue in the post.

BRS whip KP Vivekananda sought to know why Srinivas Reddy did not respond BRSLP deputy leader T Harish Rao raised the issue of alleged illegal mining by Raghava Constructions. He said the Minister who fled from the session and made his Cabinet colleagues respond in the Assembly, was making baseless statements to deflect attention, to hide the multiple violations of the private company.

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He ridiculed that while Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy denied any link between the Minister and Raghava Constructions, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s latest remarks suggested otherwise.

“This raises serious questions and warrants his resignation,” he said.

In a pointed counter, BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar accused Srinivas Reddy of acting like a representative of private firms rather than a Revenue Minister. He alleged that companies such as Raghava Constructions and Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited, were plundering public resources, and questioned whether the State was being run in their interest.

On the Nadargul land issue, he said the Congress government failed to protect disputed lands despite visible encroachments. He said signboards of private firms appeared and disappeared overnight, and questioned why the Revenue Department did not act when fencing with blue sheets was put up around the disputed land. He also asked why the police or revenue officials did not initiate action when private bouncers were deployed to guard the government land.

“The Revenue department itself gave notices to Raghava Constructions over illegal mining at Kothwalguda. The Revenue Minister who admitted that his son Harsha and other family members run the company, could allow such violations and then dismiss the violations as mere allegations by the opposition,” he asked.

He also raised concerns over alleged intimidation in Vattinagulapalli, stating that private individuals were threatened and that a police officer who registered a case was later transferred. He said no case has been registered despite the FIR filed in the case over a year ago. He demanded the Minister to clarify on his family’s alleged links to entities involved.

BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan questioned the Minister’s role in safeguarding lands currently under litigation in the Supreme Court, asking whether the government was acting in favour of private builders. “When the matter is subjudice, how could the government allow the erection of fencing? Why hasn’t it been removed till date?” he questioned.