Former Minister rejects BRS link to SBI challenging in Raidurg land auction

Former Minister S Niranjan Reddy denied allegations linking the BRS to SBI's legal move over the Raidurg land auction. He accused the Congress government of diverting attention from its own failures and defended his meeting with SBI Chairman Challa Sreenivasulu Setty

Hyderabad: Former Minister S Niranjan Reddy dismissed allegations linking the BRS to the State Bank of India’s decision to approach the court over the Raidurg land auction. He accused the ruling Congress of attempting to deflect attention from its own lapses by blaming the BRS.

He said attempts were being made through sections of the media to create narratives targeting SBI, describing it as an effort to intimidate the country’s largest public sector bank.

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In a statement, Niranjan Reddy said it was inappropriate to attribute political motives to his meeting with SBI Chairman Challa Sreenivasulu Setty. “As he hails from the Palamuru region, I merely met him to congratulate him on assuming a prestigious position,” he clarified, questioning whether an organisation of SBI’s scale would require anyone’s involvement to safeguard its own assets.

The BRS leader asserted that the controversy stemmed from the government’s failure to ensure transparency in the Raidurg land auction. He said the government’s focus on land monetisation repeatedly exposed its shortcomings in handling legal, technical and environmental issues, which were evident in matters relating to the Kancha Gachibowli lands, demolitions under the Musi River Rejuvenation Project and now the Raidurg land auction.