BRS demands Ponguleti’s dismissal over illegal mining claims; protests at Gun Park, Assembly

Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Sunday intensified its attack on the Telangana State government, demanding the immediate dismissal of Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy over alleged corruption and illegal mining activities linked to a company associated with his family.

BRS protests at Gun Park against Raghava Constructions

BRS MLAs, led by Deputy Leader in the Assembly T Harish Rao and party working president KT Rama Rao (KTR), staged a protest at Gun Park near the Assembly. Holding placards, they demanded a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities by Raghava Constructions, a firm reportedly linked to the minister.

The legislators later raised the issue inside the Assembly, pressing for a probe either by a House Committee or a sitting High Court judge. The party also submitted a formal letter to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy seeking an inquiry.

KTR warns of escalation

Addressing the media, KTR warned that the party would escalate the issue if the government failed to act. He said BRS would approach the Governor with a formal complaint and, if necessary, take the matter directly to the public through large-scale protests.

We have evidence of violations, says KTR

KTR claimed that Harish Rao had exposed a major scam involving a senior minister by presenting documentary evidence sourced from government records. According to him, the company linked to the minister’s family violated rules and engaged in illegal mining.

He questioned why the government had acted against other firms in similar cases but failed to act against Raghava Constructions, raising suspicions of political protection.

Questions over CM’s response

The BRS leader criticised the Chief Minister for what he termed contradictory statements.

While the CM reportedly acknowledged irregularities, he simultaneously defended the minister by claiming the company belonged to ‘distant relatives.’

KTR rejected this claim, asserting that the minister’s wife, son and brother are directly associated with the firm and that Ponguleti himself served as its chairman between 2020 and 2022.

‘Possible involvement of CM’

KTR further alleged that the Chief Minister’s strong defence of the company indicated possible involvement.

He cited the awarding of contracts under the Kodangal Lift Irrigation Project to the same firm and pointed to alleged land irregularities involving the Chief Minister and his associates.

He also flagged another firm, Bhagyalakshmi Mining in Kokapet, claiming it is linked to a close relative of the Chief Minister.

‘Detected violations worth Rs 32 lakh in a single day’

Highlighting alleged financial discrepancies, KTR said the government’s mining revenue figures do not add up. While the State claims increased revenues, only about Rs 900 crore is reportedly being realised against an expected Rs 1,700–1,800 crore.