Hyderabad: The political furore in Telangana has shifted from one farmhouse to another, from that of father to the son’s.
For 10 years—through the two terms of the TRS-BRS government in the state founded in 2014—then chief minister and BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao’s Erravelli farmhouse, 65 km north of capital Hyderabad, was a prominent address in Telangana.
KCR was accused of running the state administration from his treasured farmhouse, which he used to frequently visit “once in a week, or every fortnight” as vouched for by nearby residents in the CM’s assembly constituency of Gajwel.
The opposition, BJP leaders like J.P. Nadda included, while charging KCR and his family of spectacular corruption in the execution of the Rs 1 lakh crore Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, further alleged that the waters only reached his farmhouse.
Now, eight-and-a-half months after BRS lost power in the state, a farmhouse linked to KCR’s son K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) is in choppy waters.
The farmhouse, which KTR asserts is not owned but leased by him, is facing threat of demolition for allegedly being built inside the full tank level (FTL) extent of a reservoir.
KTR was the IT, industries, urban development and municipal administration minister in his father’s cabinet. He continues to serve as the working president of the regional party his father formed in 2001.
The farmhouse in question is about 30 km east of Hyderabad, constructed close to the picturesque Osman Sagar lake and reservoir. Built over 100 years ago by damming the River Musi, by the last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, the water body is one of the drinking water sources for the capital city.
Telangana Congress leaders, particularly CM A. Revanth Reddy have been accusing KTR of building the lavish farmhouse, located at Janwada village, by flouting environment rules, encroaching upon a drain channel and abusing his position as a minister.
In some pictures in the public domain, the farmhouse with a lot of greenery has view cutters installed on the sides.
The farmhouse first came into the limelight in March 2020, during the second term of the BRS government in Telangana, when Revanth, then the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha MP, made his way to the site despite tight police cover, and was detained as he tried to barge inside. A case was also lodged over the use of drone cameras to film the farmhouse.
Addressing reporters then, Revanth had alleged that KTR constructed the farmhouse “spread on 25 acres, built up area of one lakh square feet, and violating government order 111 forbidding constructions, in a benami fashion (on another’s name)”.
Issued in 1996 by the united Andhra Pradesh government, order 111 was intended to protect the Osman Sagar and its twin nearby Himayat Sagar. It prohibits setting up of industries and residential colonies within a 10 km radius of the lakes’ FTL. The order, applicable to 84 villages and 1.32 lakh acres, is meant to safeguard the catchment area.
However, in a move vehemently objected to by environmental activists, the KCR cabinet, in May 2023, scrapped the government order, thereby allowing unhindered real estate growth in the protected area. The matter went to the Telangana High Court.
The farmhouse belonging to KTR is in the spotlight now as a Revanth-constituted special wing—Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA)—is on a demolition drive, razing illegal structures in the capital region, including those in catchment areas and on lake beds.
On Saturday, HYDRAA demolished a major portion of Telugu actor Akkineni Nagarjuna’s N-Convention centre at Madhapur, allegedly built encroaching into FTL of a water body. Nagarjuna called it an unlawful act on X and approached the high court which reportedly passed interim orders staying the demolition.
Earlier this week, realtor Pradeep Reddy, who KTR says is the actual owner of the farmhouse, moved the high court seeking directions to HYDRAA to not demolish the building.
The court refused to provide any such relief, though it reportedly asked officials to follow rules and not resort to indiscriminate demolitions.
‘Am only a lessee’
At a time when the BRS has been seeking to corner the Congress government over “unfulfilled farm loan waiver, depriving many needy farmers”, the farmhouse issue has come to trouble KTR.
KTR Wednesday called a press meet at the BRS headquarters where he spoke at length, accusing CM Revanth of cheating farmers with a hollow promise.
However, the barrage of questions he faced from reporters were about the farmhouse.
“You seem to be only interested in HYDRAA, high drama. But since you asked and since some mediapersons (and thereby the public) are misled, let me clarify,” he said.
“I don’t have any farmhouse of my own. I took one on lease from a friend seven-eight months ago,” he added, asking reporters to check his election affidavits.
The period KTR mentioned corresponds with the time the BRS has been out of power in the state.
The former minister said that if there was any wrongdoing, and if the farmhouse was within the FTL or buffer zone, “as a lessee, I will myself go there to assist in demolition”.
“At the same time, let’s also visit and probe all such properties, palaces built by Congress leaders in the area,” added the BRS leader.
Saying so, KTR in the presser mentioned the names of Telangana revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, his brother and Congress veteran K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, MLC Patnam Mahendar Reddy, legislative council chairman Sukhender Reddy, senior Congress leader Madhu Yaskhi and party MLA G. Vivek.
“We will also show where Revanth Reddy’s is, if you are willing to come. I’ll send satellite maps. If the government wants to take action, let every wrong-doer be punished,” said KTR.
Congress leaders reacted to his charge by saying that KTR should submit proof to the competent authorities, and asserted that the party-led government and HYDRAA were acting in utmost transparency.
Ponguleti responded Friday by saying that officials or BRS leaders were free to demolish his house if even one brick was found to be laid in the FTL or buffer zone of the water body.
Roads and buildings minister Komatireddy Venkatreddy also dismissed KTR’s claims, telling the media that he had spotted KTR’s wife overseeing the farmhouse construction when he was at Janwada a few years ago.
Komatireddy emphasised that HYDRAA, headed by senior IPS officer A.V. Ranganath, was an enforcement unit operating independent of political influence.
Since vacating the CM’s chair in December for Revanth, BRS supremo KCR has been biding time at his favourite abode in Gajwel. However, there has been no visual evidence in the public domain of KTR’s stay at the controversial Janwada farmhouse.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)