Cong, BJP cross swords over lands issue in Telangana's Kamareddy town

The verbal duel between Congress leaders and BJP MLA K Venkata Ramana Reddy over allegations of irregularities against him vis-a-vis a land parcel in Kamareddy town intensified on Monday with the former approaching authorities to release facts on the issue. Other than the allegations of land irregularities against the MLA, Congress leader Sandeep A also claimed that a lease of two acres made to Saraswati Shishu Mandir in the town was not properly carried out. The MLA, who met Kamareddy district Collector on Monday, told reporters that he urged the official to present the facts with regard to the lands in a week or 10 days. Reddy asserted that he is ready to quit politics if his family is found to have committed any irregularities and said he has sought information on the issue under the Right to Information Act. However, Sandeep claimed that they have evidence and said he would urge Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to order an investigation and expose the alleged corruption and irregularities of the MLA. Talking about the gist of the Congress allegations against the MLA, Sandeep told PTI that the MLA, who had secured membership of the Kamareddy college education society for himself, his father and for several others, ''handed over'' a land parcel of 26 acres to the new members he enrolled. The new members claimed control over the education society after the MLA, his father and others withdrew from it, he claimed. The new members took a loan from the bank, mortgaging the land and the lending amount was not repaid, he alleged. Tension prevailed in Kamareddy on February 21 after slogan-shouting between BJP and Congress workers, who had gathered outside the office of the BJP MLA. Earlier, Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir, an advisor to the Telangana government, and the BJP MLA traded allegations over the land issue, with Reddy challenging him to a debate. Police dispersed large crowds of BJP and Congress workers at the site. A vehicle was damaged and overturned during the commotion.