Hyderabad, Jul 5 (IANS): In an embarrassment to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), a senior party leader on Tuesday made serious allegations against Education Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy.
Greater Hyderabad's former Mayor, Teegala Krishna Reddy alleged that the minister is encouraging encroachments in Maheshwaram, the Assembly constituency on the outskirts of Hyderabad which she represents.
Krishna Reddy, also a former MLA from Maheshwaram, slammed the minister for "destroying" the Meerpet Mantrala lake. Stating that he would not keep quiet over the destruction, he said, that if necessary, he would launch an indefinite fast.
He said the minister was promoting encroachments and remarked that even lakes and schools are not being spared.
The former Mayor said he would soon meet Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to brief him on the happenings in the constituency.
Krishna Reddy also noted that Sabitha Indra Reddy was not elected an MLA on the TRS ticket, and also accused her of neglecting development of the constituency.
The allegations by Krishna Reddy brought in open the fight between two groups within the TRS in the constituency.
Krishna Reddy's allegations came amid reports that he was planning to join the opposition Congress. He, however, denied the reports and said he would remain with the TRS.
He has been unhappy ever since Sabitha Indra Reddy switched loyalties to the TRS along with some other Congress leaders in 2019. Chief Minister KCR rewarded her with a Cabinet berth.
Krishna Reddy had served as Mayor of Greater Hyderabad from 2002 to 2007. He was elected from Maheshwaram constituency on a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ticket in 2014. However, a few months after the polls, he crossed over to the TRS along with three other TDP MLAs.
In 2018, Krishna Reddy contested from Maheshwaram on a TRS ticket but lost to Sabitha Indra Reddy, the then Congress candidate.
Krishna Reddy's open attack on Sabitha Indra Reddy has embarrassed the TRS leadership. The supporters of the minister have demanded action against him for making the allegations.
The development came close on the heels of a Mayor of Badangpet Corporation and two corporators resigning from TRS and joining the Congress.
Mayor Parijatha Narsimha Reddy along with corporators Santosha Srinivas and Peddabavi Sudershan Reddy joined the Congress in New Delhi on Monday in the presence of party leader Rahul Gandhi.
Narasimha Reddy was elected mayor of the newly-created urban body on the outskirts of Hyderabad after defecting to the TRS from Congress along with few other corporators.
Alleging that she was being sidelined in the TRS, she sent her resignation to the party's Ranga Reddy district and MLA Manchireddy Kishan Reddy.
She stated that despite her sincere efforts to work for the TRS, the party leaders in Maheshwaram Assembly constituency and Badangpet Corporation were sidelining her.