KTR Demands Probe into Meenakshi Natarajan Nomination Row, Slams Congress and BJP

Hyderabad, June 2026 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao on Friday launched a sharp attack on both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination and accusing the ruling Congress government in Telangana of administrative failures and political hypocrisy.

Addressing media persons in Hyderabad, Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, said the Congress leadership must first identify those within its own ranks who allegedly leaked information related to court cases involving Meenakshi Natarajan and passed the documents to BJP leaders, ultimately leading to the rejection of her nomination papers.

KTR asserted that the controversy was entirely an internal Congress matter and questioned attempts to drag political opponents into an issue rooted in factionalism and infighting within the party.

“The Congress leadership, especially Rahul Gandhi, should focus on identifying the black sheep operating within the party. If information was leaked to political rivals, then the responsibility lies squarely with Congress leaders who betrayed their own candidate,” he said.

The BRS leader argued that Congress was trying to shift attention away from its internal problems by blaming others for what he described as a self-inflicted political setback. According to him, the episode exposed deep divisions within the party and highlighted a lack of organisational discipline.

KTR also took a swipe at Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, suggesting that if the state government was so eager to constitute Special Investigation Teams (SITs) for various issues, it should order an SIT probe into the circumstances surrounding the nomination controversy as well.

He went on to allege that Congress had a history of distributing important positions through financial and political arrangements. Without providing evidence, he claimed that even key leadership positions within the party had often been influenced by such considerations.

The BRS Working President strongly criticised recent remarks made by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy that allegedly referenced Adolf Hitler and wartime destruction. KTR said it was shocking and inappropriate for a democratically elected Chief Minister to make comments that could be interpreted as admiring authoritarian figures or glorifying destruction.

“Any leader who celebrates devastation or speaks positively about the destruction witnessed during wars reveals a troubling mindset. Such statements have no place in a democracy,” he remarked.

He also expressed disappointment over comments made by Telangana Minister Sridhar Babu in defence of the Chief Minister’s remarks. KTR said it was unfortunate that a senior and educated leader would attempt to justify statements that had generated widespread criticism.

Turning his attention to governance issues, KTR accused the Congress government of failing to adequately prepare Hyderabad for the monsoon season. He argued that much of the city’s ability to withstand heavy rains and urban flooding was due to infrastructure projects executed during the previous BRS administration.

According to him, the present government had failed to undertake comprehensive reviews of monsoon preparedness and had neglected the maintenance of critical infrastructure created during the BRS tenure.

KTR also criticised the government’s decision regarding the proposed Airport Metro project. He alleged that abandoning the project had worsened traffic congestion and deprived lakhs of commuters of a major transportation solution that could have significantly improved connectivity between Hyderabad and the airport.

The former minister reserved some of his strongest criticism for the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). He alleged that the agency had drifted away from its intended purpose and was increasingly being used as a tool for intimidation rather than public service.

“HYDRAA is being projected as the solution to every urban problem—whether it is flooding, lake protection, desiltation or encroachments. But the government must explain what tangible benefits have actually been achieved through its operations,” he said.

KTR questioned the transparency of the agency’s functioning and challenged the government to provide measurable evidence of its success.

He further accused the Chief Minister of prioritising personal luxury over public welfare, alleging that an extravagant official residence costing nearly Rs 200 crore was being developed while several welfare commitments remained unfulfilled.

Questioning the government’s financial priorities, KTR asked how revenues generated through large-scale land sales and borrowings had been utilised. He claimed that despite mobilising significant resources, the government had failed to adequately implement welfare schemes, pension programmes and fee reimbursement initiatives.

The BRS leader also raised concerns about what he described as secrecy surrounding government orders related to the Chief Minister’s residence and criticised expenditures on helicopters and other high-profile purchases.

Expanding his criticism to the national level, KTR accused the BJP-led Central government of failing to fulfil several major promises made over the past decade. He claimed that commitments such as doubling farmers’ incomes, providing housing for all citizens, ensuring universal access to drinking water and transforming India into a five-trillion-dollar economy remained largely unrealised.

According to him, the BJP had focused more on divisive politics than addressing pressing economic and social challenges. He further alleged that Telangana had not received adequate benefits despite more than a decade of BJP rule at the Centre.

Despite the political challenges faced by the BRS after the last Assembly elections, KTR expressed confidence about the party’s future prospects. He said multiple surveys indicated growing public dissatisfaction with the Congress government and increasing support for the BRS.

“People are becoming disappointed with the Congress because many of its promises remain unfulfilled. We are seeing a steady rise in support for the BRS across Telangana,” he claimed.

KTR concluded by stating that the BRS would continue to function as an independent political force and had no plans for electoral alliances. He added that the party had undertaken a period of introspection following its electoral setback and was working to address shortcomings identified by the people.

Expressing confidence about the next Assembly elections, KTR said the BRS was preparing to return to power with a strong mandate by focusing on governance, public outreach and addressing issues that matter most to the people of Telangana.