MLAs’ episode: TRS plans to ‘expose’ BJP on a bigger stage

KCR likely to hold a press conference in New Delhi in a few days

The Hyderabad saga of ‘Buying the MLAs’ is likely to reach a bigger stage with Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao planning to ‘expose’ the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the national level by addressing a press conference along with the entire evidence.

Whether the CM will address the press conference in New Delhi in a couple of days is not clear, but the exercise he is undertaking analysing the phone call records and video evidence in ‘luring’ the four TRS MLAs indicates that he wants to make it a national issue.

The four MLAs – Panjugula alias Pilot Rohith Reddy, Beeram Harshvardhan Reddy, Guvvala Balraju and Rega Kantha Rao are also likely to accompany him to New Delhi. They are understood to be in Pragati Bhavan for the last couple of days.

Sources said the Chief Minister will spend three to four days consulting leaders of other opposition parties sharing the evidence with them as well. He is not in a rush to reveal the details, to ensure that there are no legal hassles later. The phone call records apparently also show the involvement of a top BJP leader in luring the MLAs.

Going by the evidence, the Chief Minister now strongly believes that the ‘episode’ is not confined to just four MLAs and a few hundred crores as is being claimed but there is a deeper conspiracy. It is also believed that the exercise of luring the TRS MLAs was going on for the last 10 days and there is a huge volume of audio and video footage that is being carefully analysed to make the case stronger.

Moreover, the call records also have content that might lead to political ramifications outside Telangana too. The three accused in the case are also said to have claimed playing a role in destabilising the governments in other States earlier.

Informed sources told The Hindu that Mr. Rohit Reddy was the first one to be approached a few days back and he immediately brought it to the notice of the party leadership. The Chief Minister is also enquiring with other MLAs if they were also approached and is trying to gather more evidence.