Accusing the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen of resorting to communal politics, Rajya Sabha member Palvai Govardhan Reddy on Wednesday claimed that the Bhagyalakshmi temple abutting the Charminar was in existence for the last 400 years.
Talking to reporters at the Assembly's media point, Palvai said that the MIM raised the controversy around the temple to blackmail Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to get lands belonging to Mahavir Hospital. He said that the MIM was wrongly targeting the Congress and branding the Chief Minister as communal.
Speaking about the Telangana issue, the Rajya Sabha member claimed that the Centre has already completed negotiations with all stakeholders, and that Telangana announcement might come any time. However, he said that Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu has been creating obstacles in the process by not clearing his stand on the statehood issue.
Admitting that the Congress has become weaker in Telangana and Rayalaseema, he said that the party would win the next elections in the Telangana region if it takes a decision in favour of a separate state.
Palvai also accused Bhongir MP K Rajagopal Reddy of extorting money in the name of estimation of the Pranahita-Chevella project. He also alleged that Rajagopal Reddy and his brother and former minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy might join the YSR Congress party in the near future, and that therefore, the Congress must not believe the Reddy brothers. (INN)