HYDERABAD — Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Telangana state government, demanding an immediate reduction in Value Added Tax on petrol and diesel — pointing out that Telangana levies the highest VAT on fuel anywhere in the country, even as the central government moves decisively to shield citizens from rising oil prices triggered by the Israel-America-Iran war.

Addressing a press conference at CGI Towers in Hyderabad, Kishan Reddy outlined the measures taken by the central government to ensure adequate supplies of LPG, petrol, and diesel across Telangana — while simultaneously putting the state government firmly on the spot over its fuel tax policy.

Telangana Charges Highest VAT in India

The numbers Kishan Reddy placed before the public were stark and difficult to dispute.

Telangana has been levying VAT at 35.20 percent on petrol and diesel — the highest rate in the entire country — for the past twelve consecutive years. Not once in that period, the minister pointed out, has the state government seen fit to reduce this burden on its citizens by even a single paisa.

The contrast with neighbouring states makes the figure even harder to justify. Andhra Pradesh levies VAT at 31 percent. Karnataka charges 29 percent. Maharashtra imposes just 26 percent. Yet Telangana — governed first by the BRS and now by the Congress — has maintained its 35.20 percent rate without revision.

"Why is Telangana levying 35.20 percent when neighbouring states charge significantly less?" Kishan Reddy demanded. "Why has this not been reduced? The Congress party beats the drum about KCR's people-friendly governance — but in twelve years, not one paisa of VAT has been cut. Reduce it now."

The minister's challenge was direct and unambiguous — and it placed the Telangana government in an uncomfortable position at a time when fuel prices are already under pressure from global conflict.

Centre Acts to Cushion Global Oil Price Shock

Kishan Reddy made clear that the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has moved proactively to protect Indian citizens from the price shocks rippling out of the Middle East conflict.

With the Israel-America-Iran war disrupting global oil markets and pushing crude prices upward, the central government has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel — a direct intervention designed to prevent pump prices from spiralling out of control.

The minister urged state governments across the country to follow the centre's lead by cutting their own VAT rates — reducing the cumulative tax burden on fuel and passing the benefit directly to consumers. Telangana, he made clear, has the most room to move — and the most obligation to act.

Ample Stocks — No Need for Panic

Turning to address growing public anxiety over fuel availability, Kishan Reddy was reassuring and categorical.

Telangana has abundant stocks of LPG, petrol, and diesel, he said. There is no shortage. There is no crisis. And there is absolutely no reason for citizens to panic.

Oil companies are currently providing a three-day credit facility to petrol and gas agencies — a measure designed to ensure smooth and uninterrupted supply across the state. The pipeline of fuel into Telangana remains fully functional, and the central government is working actively to ensure that oil and gas supplies reach India on schedule despite the turbulence in global markets.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kishan Reddy added, is personally monitoring the situation — a signal of the seriousness with which the central government is treating the issue.

The minister also urged citizens to use LPG, petrol, and diesel conservatively and responsibly during this period of global uncertainty — a call for collective prudence rather than panic buying.

No Lockdown — Stop the Rumours

Kishan Reddy used the press conference to address one of the most damaging pieces of misinformation currently circulating on social media — the claim that India is preparing to impose a fresh lockdown.

The rumour, he said, originated from a misreading and misrepresentation of Prime Minister Modi's recent remarks in the Lok Sabha. Social media users have uploaded thousands of posts falsely claiming that a lockdown is imminent — posts that have spread rapidly and caused unnecessary alarm among the public.

"Do not believe these rumours," Kishan Reddy said firmly. "There is no lockdown coming. The Prime Minister's words have been taken completely out of context and twisted beyond recognition."

Arrest Those Spreading Rumours

The minister reserved his sharpest words for those deliberately spreading false information on social media — and he had a specific request for Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

It is social media videos and fake news posts, Kishan Reddy argued, that have caused vehicle owners to queue up at petrol stations in panic — creating artificial demand and long lines at pumps that would otherwise be functioning normally. The same misinformation has created what he described as a "fire in kitchens" over LPG cylinder availability — panicking households into hoarding behaviour that serves no one.

"We have requested Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to arrest those who are creating and spreading rumours on social media," Kishan Reddy said — a demand that underscores the seriousness with which authorities are treating the misinformation problem.

Industry Representatives Present

The press conference brought together senior officials from India's major oil marketing companies alongside representatives of Telangana's petroleum and LPG dealer communities.

Present at the event were Indian Oil Corporation Executive Director Piyush Mittal, BPCL Chief General Manager (Retail) Nitish Selukar, HPCL Chief General Manager (Retail) Sushil Kumar Ray, Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association President Amarendra Reddy, and State LPG Owners Association President Jaganmohan Reddy, along with other senior officials.

Their collective presence at the press conference was itself a message — that the fuel supply chain in Telangana, from the national oil companies down to the local dealer level, is functioning normally and is committed to meeting public demand.

The Political Subtext

Saturday's press conference was simultaneously a public reassurance exercise and a pointed political attack — and Kishan Reddy made no attempt to disguise either dimension.

By highlighting Telangana's 35.20 percent VAT rate and the state government's twelve-year failure to reduce it — under both BRS and Congress administrations — the Union Minister placed a clear political marker. At a time when global oil prices are rising and the central government is cutting excise duty to protect consumers, Telangana's continued imposition of the country's highest fuel VAT becomes an increasingly difficult position to defend.

The ball, Kishan Reddy made abundantly clear, is now firmly in the Telangana government's court.

The Telangana state government had not responded to Minister Kishan Reddy's statements at the time of publication. This report will be updated as further developments emerge.

HYDERABAD — Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Telangana government, demanding the immediate dismissal of Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy over what he described as a brazen family scam — and accusing Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of deliberately protecting the minister despite acknowledging wrongdoing.

Speaking in his characteristically sharp and combative style, KTR — as the BRS leader is widely known — pulled no punches in his assault on the ruling Congress government, raising questions that he said demand urgent answers from the Chief Minister.

"CM Admitted Wrongdoing — But Still Won't Act"

KTR alleged that the exposure of Minister Ponguleti's family scam has left the Telangana government rattled and desperate. What makes the situation even more damning, he argued, is the Chief Minister's own admission.

"The Chief Minister himself has acknowledged that irregularities have taken place," KTR said. "Yet no legal action has been initiated. One must ask — is the Chief Minister protecting the minister because he too has a share in this corruption?"

It was a pointed and provocative question — one that the BRS leader clearly intended to land with maximum political force.

At the center of the controversy is Raghava Constructions — a company of which KTR claims Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy served as chairman between 2020 and 2022. The Chief Minister, KTR alleged, has attempted to distance the minister from the company by claiming it belongs to Ponguleti's distant relatives — a claim KTR dismissed as a transparent cover-up.

"The facts are clear," KTR said. "Ponguleti was the chairman of Raghava Constructions. The attempt to pass it off as belonging to distant relatives fools nobody."

Two and a Half Years of Failure

KTR broadened his attack beyond the immediate controversy, using the platform to deliver a comprehensive indictment of what he called the Congress government's two and a half years of governance failure.

"In two and a half years, the Chief Minister has not done a single thing that has benefited the people of Telangana," KTR charged. "Not one. And yet a minister accused of corruption continues to sit in his chair, his family protected, his wrongdoing unpunished."

He demanded pointed answers from the Chief Minister — why has action not been taken against the minister? Why is the minister's family being shielded? What message does this send to the people of Telangana?

Mining Scandals and Political Connections

KTR did not limit his allegations to the Ponguleti family controversy. He widened the scope of his attack to include what he described as widespread irregularities in the mining sector across Telangana.

Most explosive among his allegations was the claim that Bhagyalakshmi Mining in Kokapet — a prominent location in Hyderabad — belongs to relatives of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy himself. The allegation, if proven, would represent a significant conflict of interest at the highest levels of the state government.

"Mining has become a cover for large-scale illegality across this state," KTR alleged. "And the connections lead all the way to the Chief Minister's own family."

The L&T Land Controversy

KTR also trained his fire on what he described as a dangerous conspiracy surrounding 280 acres of land leased by the previous BRS government to engineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro.

He alleged that what he called the "Danduppalya batch" — a reference he used to describe a group within the ruling establishment — is plotting to illegally seize this land. More alarmingly, KTR claimed that the Chief Financial Officer of L&T had been threatened with imprisonment in an attempt to intimidate the company.

"This is a massive scandal," KTR said, his voice rising with controlled fury. "Threatening the CFO of one of India's most respected companies with jail — what kind of government does this? What kind of governance is this?"

He described the entire episode as a "large-scale conspiracy" that strikes at the heart of investor confidence in Telangana.

"We Will Go to the Governor"

KTR made clear that the BRS is not prepared to let these issues rest — and issued a direct warning to the Telangana government.

If the government fails to act on the allegations and continues to ignore the opposition's demands, he said, the BRS will escalate the matter to Governor Jishnu Dev Varma and lodge a formal complaint seeking intervention.

"We will go to the Governor if this government refuses to listen," KTR declared. "These are not small matters. These are issues of governance, of corruption, of public money being plundered — and someone must be held accountable."

One Non-Negotiable Demand

Amid the cascade of allegations and accusations, KTR's central demand was unambiguous and unconditional.

Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy must be removed from office. Immediately. Without further delay or excuses.

"This is not a request. This is a demand from the people of Telangana," KTR said. "A minister whose family is neck-deep in scandal, whose wrongdoing has been acknowledged by the Chief Minister himself, has no moral or legal right to continue in office. He must go."

The Political Context

Saturday's press conference marks an escalation in BRS's increasingly aggressive opposition campaign against the Telangana Congress government. With assembly elections still years away, the party — which governed Telangana for a decade before its shock defeat in 2023 — appears determined to position itself as the primary watchdog against what it characterises as runaway corruption under the Revanth Reddy administration.

KTR, who has increasingly taken on the role of the party's most combative public voice, has sharpened his rhetoric in recent months — targeting the Chief Minister personally and with growing frequency.

The Congress government has not yet formally responded to Saturday's allegations. Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy's office was not immediately available for comment.

But with KTR threatening to take the matter to the Governor and vowing to keep the pressure on, the political temperature in Hyderabad shows no sign of cooling any time soon.

BRS working president KTR's allegations have not been independently verified. The Telangana government and Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy's office had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

హైదరాబాద్: పాలమూరు-రంగారెడ్డి ప్రాజెక్టు వెనుకబాటుకు కాంగ్రెస్, టిడిపి కారణమని బిఆర్ఎస్ కార్యనిర్వాహక అధ్యక్షుడు కెటిఆర్ మండిపడ్డారు. పాలమూరు ప్రజలు సిఎం రేవంత్ రెడ్డి మీద నమ్మకంతో 12 సీట్లు ఇచ్చారని గుర్తుచేశారు.

జడ్చర్లలో మీడియాతో మాట్లాడిన కెటిఆర్, “మేము పాలమూరు-రంగారెడ్డి ప్రాజెక్టు పనులు 90 శాతం పూర్తి చేశాం. ఇంకా 10 శాతం పనులు ముగిస్తే 12 లక్షల ఎకరాలకు నీరు అందుతుంది. కానీ కాంగ్రెస్ ప్రభుత్వం 22 నెలలు గడిపినా పాలమూరుకు ఏమాత్రం మేలు జరగలేదు” అని విమర్శించారు.

కాంగ్రెస్‌లో చేరిన 10 మంది ఎమ్మెల్యేలకు సంబంధించి పిసిసి అధ్యక్షుడు మహేశ్ కుమార్ గౌడ్ చేసిన వ్యాఖ్యలను ప్రస్తావిస్తూ, స్పీకర్ ఇప్పటికీ చర్యలు తీసుకోవడంలో మొహమాటం ఎందుకని ప్రశ్నించారు. “కాంగ్రెస్‌లో చేరిన ఎమ్మెల్యేల పరిస్థితి దయనీయంగా ఉంది. పార్టీ మారకపోతే బిఆర్ఎస్ ఎల్పీకి ఎందుకు రాలేదో?” అని నిలదీశారు.

పార్టీ మారిన ఎమ్మెల్యేలపై తప్పనిసరిగా చర్యలు తీసుకోవాలని, పిసిసి అధ్యక్షుడి స్టేట్‌మెంట్‌ను సుప్రీంకోర్టు ముందుంచుతామని హెచ్చరించారు. కాంగ్రెస్ కండువా కప్పుకున్నవారు సిగ్గులేకుండా పార్టీ మారలేదని చెప్తున్నారని కేటిఆర్ తీవ్రంగా ఎద్దేవా చేశారు.

హైదరాబాద్ ( జర్నలిస్ట్ ఫైల్ ) : బీఆర్ఎస్ పార్టీపై ప్రజల్లో నమ్మకం పెరుగుతుండగానే తనపై కావాలనే దుష్ప్రచారం చేస్తున్నారని ఎమ్మెల్సీ కల్వకుంట్ల కవిత ఆవేదన వ్యక్తం చేశారు. బీఆర్‌ఎస్ బలోపేతమే తన లక్ష్యమని స్పష్టంగా పేర్కొన్నారు. తెలంగాణ భవన్‌లో సోమవారం మీడియాతో మాట్లాడిన ఆమె... “సమయం వచ్చినప్పుడు అన్నీ విషయాలు బయటపెడతా” అని స్పష్టం చేశారు.

"ఆరు నెలల జైలు సరిపోదా?"

తనపై దుష్ప్రచారాలు చేస్తున్న వారికి ఉద్దేశించి మాట్లాడుతూ – “ఆరు నెలల జైల్లో ఉండటం సరిపోదా? ఇంకా ఎంత కష్టపెడతారు? ప్రజల కోసం, పార్టీ కోసం పని చేస్తున్నామంటే ఇలా దాడులు ఎందుకు?” అని ప్రశ్నించారు. తనను రెచ్చగొట్టొద్దని, రెచ్చగొడితే మరింత గట్టిగా స్పందిస్తానని హెచ్చరించారు.

సామాజిక తెలంగాణ గురించి – ప్రజల అభిప్రాయమే ఆధారం

సామాజిక తెలంగాణ అంశాన్ని ప్రజల అభిప్రాయాల ఆధారంగా మాత్రమే ప్రస్తావించానని కవిత అన్నారు. ఇందులో ఏ ఒక్కరినీ లక్ష్యంగా చేసుకుని మాట్లాడలేదని స్పష్టం చేశారు. పార్టీపై జరుగుతున్న తప్పుడు ప్రచారానికి బీఆర్ఎస్ స్పష్టమైన స్పందన ఇవ్వాలని కోరారు.

“బీఆర్‌ఎస్‌కు బలంగా నిలవడం నేనెప్పటికీ కొనసాగిస్తాను”

“నా రాజకీయ ప్రయాణం బీఆర్ఎస్‌తోనే ఉంటుంది. పార్టీకి బలం చేకూర్చడం కోసం నేను ఎప్పటికీ కృషి చేస్తాను” అని కవిత తేల్చిచెప్పారు. తాను పార్టీపై పూర్తిగా నమ్మకం ఉంచినట్లే, పార్టీ కూడా తనపై నమ్మకంతో ఉండాలని కోరారు.

Hyderabad ( Journalist File ) : The Telangana Legislative Assembly session commenced without the presence of the principal opposition party. As the BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) legislators and MLCs headed towards the Assembly, police blocked their way and arrested several of them. Among those detained were K.T. Rama Rao, K. Kavitha, and other party representatives, who were later taken away in police vans.

Earlier in the day, BRS legislators and MLCs had paid tribute to the martyrs of Telangana at the Amaraveerula Stupa in Gun Park on the occasion of Deeksha Vijay Diwas. Afterward, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's son, K.T. Rama Rao, along with Revanth Reddy, donned T-shirts featuring photos of industrialist Adani, and made their way towards the Assembly.

At Gate-2 of the Assembly, they were stopped by the police, who expressed objection to their attire. This led to a brief tense standoff. K.T. Rama Rao confronted the police, demanding an explanation for their actions. In response, Revanth Reddy and other BRS representatives raised slogans such as "Adani Bhai Bhai" and "Kusthi in Delhi, Dosti in the Streets," among others, in a show of protest.

The confrontation escalated as BRS leaders, including K.T. Rama Rao, Harish Rao, Kavitha, and Sabitha Indra Reddy, were arrested and taken away in police vans

Telangana, Hyderabad ( Journalist File ) : BRS Executive President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) has assured the victims of land acquisition in Laggacherla that their demands will be raised in the upcoming Assembly sessions. On Friday, a delegation of Laggacherla land acquisition victims met KTR at Telangana Bhavan, where they detailed the issues they have been facing. KTR expressed solidarity with the victims, assuring them that the government would stand by them in their fight for justice.

బీఆర్ఎస్ పార్టీపై బీజేపీ మెదక్ ఎంపీ అభ్యర్థి రఘునందన్ రావు చేసిన కామెంట్స్ తెలంగాణ రాజకీయాల్లో హాట్ టాపిక్ గా మారాయి. గులాబీ పార్టీపై తీవ్ర విమర్శనాస్త్రాలు సంధించారు రఘునందన్ రావు. బీఆర్ఎస్ మునిగిపోతున్న టైటానిక్ షిప్ అని ఎద్దేవా చేశారు. రంజిత్ రెడ్డి నుంచి కడియం కావ్య వరకు బీఆర్ఎస్ ను వీడి వెళ్లిపోతున్నారని విమర్శిస్తున్నారు. అధికారంలో ఉండగా బీఆర్ఎస్ నేతలు అనేక అక్రమాలు చేశారని ఆరోపించారు. ప్రజల రక్తాన్ని పీల్చి పిప్పి చేసినోళ్లు సేవ చేస్తామని వస్తున్నారు.. మెదక్ ప్రజలారా ఆలోచించాలని సూచించారు. ఇంకా ఎన్ని రోజులు అబద్ధాలు చెప్పి తెలంగాణ ప్రజలను మోసం చేస్తారని ప్రశ్నించారు. రఘునందన్ ఎవరి జోలికి వెళ్లడని తన జోలికి వస్తే మాత్రం ఉరుకునేది లేదని స్పష్టం చేశారు.

గల్లీలో ఏ పార్టీ అధికారంలో ఉన్నా దిల్లీలో మాత్రం మోదీనే ఉండాలని ప్రజలు కోరుకుంటున్నారని రఘునందన్ రావు అన్నారు. నాలుగు దశాబ్దాలుగా కాని పనులు తనను ఎంపీ గా గెలిపిస్తే చేసి చూపిస్తానని హామీ ఇచ్చారు. మెదక్ ఎన్నిక ఏకపక్షం కానుందన్న రఘునందన్ రావు ఆత్మగౌరవాన్ని కాపాడేలా పనిచేస్తానని స్పష్టం చేశారు.