The latest claims by Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy about fresh assets allegedly linked to BRS working president and former minister K T Rama Rao (KTR) have kicked up yet another political row in the state.
During his visit to Sircilla on Wednesday, Revanth Reddy alleged that KTR’s family owned star hotels in and around Hyderabad’s HITEC City.
He challenged KTR to clarify whether the allegations were true and also alleged that KTR had investments in the United States and Singapore.
An examination of publicly available corporate information cited in the material indicates that the hotels referred to by the Chief Minister are associated with At Home Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd, a company in which members of KTR’s family have held directorships.
The properties referred to include Deccan Serai HITEC City and Deccan Serai Grand Hotel in Gachibowli, besides premium serviced apartments operated under the same brand.
The company’s current directors are stated to include Shailima Kalvakuntla, KTR’s wife, along with Sridhar Telukuntla and Pattabhirama Rao Chilukuri.
KTR himself served as a director of At Home Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd from October 25, 2005, until October 2014, according to the information cited.
BRS Rajya Sabha member Joginipalli Santosh Kumar had also previously served as a director of the company.
Revanth questioned how KTR could own star hotels with a capacity of over 400 rooms while claiming that he did not even have a suitable house to live in Hyderabad.
Responding to the Chief Minister’s remarks, KTR said the hotels were established with money he had earned before entering active politics.
He said his family had owned substantial agricultural land for generations and pointed out that his father, KCR, had served as an MLA, MP, minister, Union minister and Deputy Speaker.
KTR said he had worked in the United States for six years and used his earnings to establish a hotel in 2006.
“I started one hotel in 2006 with the money I earned in the US. Today, there are three hotels. If I had not entered politics, I would have built 10 hotels,” he said.
KTR also accused Revanth Reddy of providing what he described as “free publicity” to his hotels through his remarks.
He challenged the Chief Minister to agree to an inquiry by a Supreme Court judge into the assets of both families.
The latest exchange comes amid a wider political battle over the assets and landholdings of the KCR family and other BRS leaders.
While Revanth Reddy has been publicly raising questions about landholdings allegedly acquired during the previous BRS government, the BRS has, in turn, accused the Chief Minister’s brothers of acquiring large parcels of land by using political influence.
Congress leaders, meanwhile, have indicated that further details concerning properties allegedly linked to the KCR family could emerge in the coming days.
