Jupally Demands Apology From KTR For Murder Allegations

Minister for Excise Jupally Krishna Rao today demanded that BRS working president K T Rama Rao tender an unconditional apology for levelling "baseless remarks" against him in connection with the murder of BRS leader Sridhar Reddy.

Speaking at a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan along with Congress candidate for the Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha seat Mallu Ravi and other leaders, Jupally said that that the BRS working president should be prepared to face a defamation suit if he did not apologise immediately.

Terming the death of Sridhar Reddy, who was axed to death by unidentified persons outside his house at Laxmipally village of Chinnambavi mandal in Wanaparthy district on Thursday, as unfortunate, the minister said that it was however not a political murder, and that the BRS leader was murdered due to other reasons including his alleged involvement in land disputes, illicit financial transactions and other acts.

"After Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and I left the BRS, the people taught a fitting lesson to the party in the Assembly elections. The party was made to sit in the Opposition. KTR is unable to digest the fact that he is away from power. That's why he is making derogatory remarks against me," Jupally said.

The minister said that he had never encouraged violence in politics, and had always been away from the murder politics.

"The people of the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district know very well about me. They are fully aware of my political life. The people don't believe these allegations made by KTR against me," Jupally said.

He also criticised KTR for indulging in cheap tactics like linking the death of a person to politics, and said that KTR did not have any moral right to speak about values and family relations.

"People haven't forgotten the atrocities against the dalits in Sircilla during the tenure of the BRS government. Dalit families faced untold problems in the last 10 years, and KTR never raised his voice in support of the families," Jupally said.

He said that KTR was not fit to occupy any position for his indulging in "corpse politics", and reiterated that he should tender an unconditional apology immediately.