Revanth Reddy’s ‘Snoopgate’: Telangana Ministers uneasy over phone tapping, fear CM’s surveillance
Reports of surveillance on Telangana Ministers have triggered unrest in the Congress-led government, with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy facing allegations of monitoring colleagues. The growing bond between senior leaders from Nalgonda has further intensified speculation and power struggles within the Cabinet
Hyderabad: After the tension over losing Cabinet berths following the recent induction of new legislators, a fresh wave of unease has gripped some Ministers in the State Cabinet. This time, it is fear fueled by reports of their phone calls and movements being monitored by none other than the Chief Minister.
According to party sources, detailed information about certain Ministers’ movements and phone conversations has been reaching the Chief Minister’s Office almost in real time, catching many off guard.
It is no secret that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy continues to struggle to secure appointments with the Gandhi family in New Delhi, while his Cabinet colleagues and other leaders appear to gain easy access to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. Additionally, the Congress high command has been nudging the State leadership to prioritise loyal party workers over recent defectors when it comes to Cabinet posts, nominated positions, and other appointments.
The Chief Minister’s repeated public claims that he would remain in office for 10 years have also raised eyebrows, with several legislators privately expressing their discontent. Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy went a step further, openly asserting that the party high command’s decisions are final and that any move to turn the Congress into a ‘personal kingdom’ would not be tolerated.
This backdrop appears to have intensified speculation that the Chief Minister may be attempting to safeguard his position by spying on his Cabinet. BRS working president KT Rama Rao had recently raised the issue, stating that phones were being tapped.
That fear appears to have come true for a senior Minister from Nalgonda who reportedly had a chilling realisation that his movements and conversations with colleagues were being closely watched. Sources close to him say he has grown increasingly uneasy, especially after the Chief Minister started maintaining a conspicuous distance from him for reasons still unclear.
Adding to the intrigue, one of the Chief Minister’s close aides, who is a Cabinet Minister as well, is said to have recently held an extended meeting with the uneasy Minister. Media reports suggest that the senior Minister was told that his conversations with another senior colleague from the same district, reportedly on Revanth Reddy, had reached the Chief Minister, who wanted to reach out.
Meanwhile, Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, once known for their lack of camaraderie, surprised many by publicly praising each other at a recent official function. Party insiders at Gandhi Bhavan say Uttam Kumar Reddy remains one of the most trusted leaders of the Congress high command in Telangana. His views are routinely factored in by the high command while taking key decisions relating to the State unit and its leadership.
In this context, the growing proximity between Venkat Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy is said to have triggered tensions for Revanth Reddy.
