He announced that a comprehensive investigation will be launched to determine how his internal conversations with officials were intercepted
Nalgonda: Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Tuesday alleged that the BRS was still tapping phones even after losing power in the state. He said that discussions he had held with officials at Edulapuram on municipal polls had been leaked, and an inquiry would be conducted to trace how the information was accessed. “As per law, action will be taken against those found guilty,” he said.
He claimed that doubts expressed by leaders about ongoing phone-tapping were valid, recalling that the BRS government had tapped phones of political leaders and targeted persons during its 10-year tenure. “In the phone tapping case, the law will take its own course,” he added.
Speaking at a media conference in Khammam, he also expressed confidence that the Congress would capture 80 per cent of municipalities in the ensuing elections.
On criticism of his appeal to employees for votes, he said, “Employees also have votes in municipal elections. What is wrong in requesting their support for the Congress?”
The minister said Congress had won people’s trust by fulfilling poll promises made during the Assembly elections, and that support had continued in subsequent Lok Sabha and Gram Panchayat polls. He accused the previous BRS government of pushing Telangana into debt of ₹8.19 lakh crore with “irrelevant policies,” pointing out that the state had a surplus budget at its formation in 2014. He said the Congress government was paying ₹6,300 crore in interest on loans taken by the BRS, but had ensured welfare schemes were not affected.
Criticising the BRS for leaving 62,000 double-bedroom houses incomplete, he said the Congress had sanctioned 4.5 lakh Indiramma houses in its first phase. He highlighted welfare measures including a ₹500 bonus per quintal of fine rice in addition to MSP, and said Telangana was the first state to supply fine rice to ration cardholders.
