Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy Accuses BJP of Inaction on Kaleshwaram CBI Probe

On Monday, Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of turning a blind eye to alleged corruption and irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) during a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad.

Reddy questioned why the central government has failed to launch a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the project despite a formal request from the Telangana state government.

Speaking to reporters, the Congress MP targeted BJP national president Nitin Nabin, claiming he lacked an understanding of both national politics and the current political situation in Telangana. Reddy suggested that Nabin was either poorly briefed by local BJP leaders or remained unaware of the alleged corruption that occurred under the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) administration.

Reddy urged the BJP chief to review his own party's historical stance on the Kaleshwaram project. He noted that BJP leaders had previously described the irrigation project as an "ATM for the BRS" and had claimed that those responsible for irregularities could be brought to justice within 48 hours if the case were handed over to the CBI.

Despite these past statements and the Telangana government's formal request for a CBI investigation, Reddy pointed out that no probe has commenced to date. He went on to allege that the BJP has "match-fixing" electoral agreements with the BRS, claiming the party has no genuine agenda to gain power in Telangana. He urged Nabin to examine the BJP's vote share in the 2019 and 2024 elections before making political statements on the state.

Additionally, the Congress MP challenged the BJP to disclose the number of jobs it has actually delivered compared to the promises made in its 2014 election manifesto. He also credited former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi with fulfilling the aspirations of the local population by granting statehood to Telangana.