Hyderabad: KTR’s Arrest Dare: Revanth’s Guts Tested in Telangana Firefight?
Sparks flew in Hyderabad as Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao threw down the gauntlet to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, daring him to make good on threats of arrest over the Formula E race controversy. Speaking to reporters at Telangana Bhavan on November 21, 2025, Rama Rao dismissed the probe as a political ploy, insisting the chief minister lacks the resolve to follow through. With Governor Jishnu Dev Varma granting prosecution sanction just days earlier on November 19, the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown that could reshape Telangana’s opposition dynamics.
Rama Rao, long a thorn in the Congress side, framed the case as baseless harassment aimed at silencing dissent ahead of local polls. He volunteered for a lie detector test, claiming innocence and accusing Reddy of knowing the allegations hold no water. This bold riposte comes amid escalating tensions, as the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) gears up to file charges against Rama Rao, former IAS officer Arvind Kumar, and ex-HMDA engineer B.L.N. Reddy for alleged fund misuse in the 2023 electric racing event.
Formula E Fallout: Clean Hands or Cover-Up?
The Formula E race, hosted in Hyderabad under BRS rule, promised to spotlight the city’s green ambitions but now simmers as a flashpoint for corruption claims. Reddy’s administration alleges Rama Rao funneled Rs 50 crore in electoral bonds from a contractor post-event, with ACB seeking arrest nods since September. Rama Rao counters that the race delivered Rs 82 million in economic gains, per a Nielsen report, and aligns with Telangana’s EV policy to forge a mobility hub.
Governor’s recent nod clears the path for charges, but Rama Rao sees it as timed vendetta, especially after delays he attributes to BJP-BRS whispers. Party colleague T. Harish Rao echoed this on November 20, labeling it the “height of political vendetta” and vowing legal pushback. As the Enforcement Directorate probes money laundering angles, Rama Rao’s defiance underscores BRS’s strategy: turn scrutiny into sympathy.
MLA Switch Drama: Resignations as Shield?
Shifting to legislative maneuvers, Rama Rao accused Congress of orchestrating resignations among defected MLAs to dodge disqualification blows. He pointed to efforts pressuring BRS’s Danam Nagender to step down, ostensibly to protect Kadiyam Sriharini, amid fears a speaker’s ruling could topple the government’s slim majority. This “resignation drama,” he argued, buys time for bypolls after Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, sidelining public woes like irrigation glitches and farmer distress.
Rama Rao predicted GHMC polls first, forcing Congress into reactive mode. He slammed the ruling party’s “strategic delays” as a distraction tactic, urging focus on governance over gamesmanship. With nine BRS MLAs in the fold since 2023, any mass disqualifications could trigger a cascade, making these moves a precarious pivot for Reddy’s camp.
Broader Barbs at Congress Tactics
Rama Rao didn’t hold back on broader governance gripes, painting Congress as out of touch with Telangana’s pulse. He reiterated past jabs, like challenging Reddy to a public debate on the race, now amplified by the sanction. BRS allies stand firm, with Harish Rao stressing the party’s unyielding support and public watch on the “petty drama” for electoral mileage.
As winter session looms, this verbal volley hints at courtroom clashes ahead. For Rama Rao, it’s a bid to rally the base; for Reddy, a chance to cement anti-corruption credentials. Yet, with KCR sidelined by health woes, the onus falls on his son to keep BRS’s fire alive.