Revanth Reddy's meeting with Adani delegation triggers controversy in Telangana

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's recent meeting with the Adani Group delegation has snowballed into a controversy with Telangana BJP leaders questioning the credentials of the allegations by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi linking Adani’s Group's rise with favouritism by the Union government.

"To promote their business interests, a short-seller company had released a report on the Adani Group. Rahul Gandhi was quick to link the group and the Union government. The Supreme Court had categorically said that the report may carry some news value but no evidence value. Now, what would Rahul Gandhi say about Revant Reddy’s meeting with the Adani Group representatives? In Telangana, if the Congress government talks to the Adani Group it is for investments, but in other states it is looting. Is this not a double standard? It's not just in Telangana. In the past, even Congress governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan had held talks with Adani Group for investments,” BJP national leader and party Madhya Pradesh affairs in-charge, P Muralidhar Rao said on Friday.

An Adani Group delegation led by billionaire Gautam Adani's son Karan Adani met Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The CM reportedly assured the delegation that his government would provide required amenities, infrastructure and subsidies to new industries to promote industrial growth and create more employment opportunities in Telangana. The chief minister also invited the Adani Group to set up industries in the state.

The delegation held talks with the government to set up a data centre along with an aerospace park in the state. 

Muralidhar Rao also accused Revanth Reddy of adopting "settlement" and "adjustment" politics to save BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao by not seeking a CBI probe into the Kaleshwaram Project.  

He said that over the last few years and especially during the run up to the assembly polls, Revanth Reddy had demanded a CBI probe into the alleged corruption in the Kaleshwaram irrigation project. However, Muralidhar Rao said, the Revanth Reddy government has changed its stance and is now contemplating only a judicial probe.

He also cited the example of Revanth Reddy changing stance on scrapping the Pharma City proposal within 20 days of assuming power. The BJP leader alleged that Telangana has turned a cash cow for Congress to fund the upcoming parliament elections across the country.