Suspended BRS leader Kavitha announces quitting party, MLC post

HYDERABAD, SEP 3 : Senior BRS leader and MLC K Kavitha, daughter of party founder and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), resigned from the primary membership of the party as well as from her legislative council post on Wednesday, alleging that her cousins T Harish Rao and J Santosh Kumar were hatching conspiracies to weaken and “grab control” from the KCR family.

This is the first time Kavitha has spoken publicly after her suspension from the BRS. Addressing reporters at the Telangana Jagruthi Headquarters, she claimed that a section within the party conspired and spread “false propaganda” against her.

“Despite being active in the BRS Party, I am suspended for fighting for public issues like reservations for BCs. How is that anti-party?” she asked.

Kavitha alleged that Harish Rao had colluded with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and was working against the interests of the KCR family. “They both travelled on the same flight to Delhi recently and conspired against the KCR family,” she said, adding that Harish Rao has “surrendered to Revanth Reddy.” She demanded, “Why is the government targeting only KTR? Why is there no probe into the allegations against Harish Rao?”

She charged that Harish Rao was attempting to seize the party from KCR and KTR. “Harish Rao is not a troubleshooter. He is a bubble shooter. He creates trouble within the party and pretends that he is solving the trouble,” she alleged.

Addressing a press conference here flanked by her supporters, the 47 year-old former MP charged Harish Rao with having a tacit understanding with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.

Question of the day: What next for Kavitha?

The former Nizamabad MP further accused her brother and BRS working president K T Rama Rao of not supporting her when a “malicious campaign” was launched against her. She warned that KTR should “be careful” about the alleged conspiracies by Harish Rao.

Kavitha also alleged that former MP J Santosh Kumar misused his influence in the Chief Minister’s Office when KCR was Chief Minister. Claiming Santosh Kumar was “involved in looting through sand mining,” she alleged: “Close aides of Santosh Kumar – Pochampally Srinivas Reddy, along with Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL)’s Krishna Reddy – are constructing a huge villa project near Hyderabad with Rs 700 crore. From where did Pochampally Srinivas Reddy get this money?” Kavitha demanded that the state government probe the matter, adding, “KCR and KTR should beware of Harish Rao and Santosh Kumar.”

She further blamed Harish Rao and Santosh Kumar for corruption that, according to her, gave the Congress government “an excuse to announce a CBI probe against the Kaleshwaram irrigation project.” She alleged, “The probe was due to corruption of cousins Harish Rao and Santosh Kumar.”

Kavitha also claimed her father faced “pressure” from within the party to act against her. “I never aspired for any posts. I am sending a resignation letter to the Legislative Council chairman. I am also sending resignation from the primary membership of BRS to KCR,” she said, speaking in the presence of her supporters.

-PTI