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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Phone-tapping case: Telangana Congress chief deposes before SIT
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and member of legislative council (MLC) B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Tuesday deposed before the special investigation team (SIT) of the state police probing the alleged illegal tapping of phones of several high-profile people including politicians, officials, journalists, judges and celebrities during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime. The SIT summoned Goud as a witness in the case, based on a complaint filed by him in 2023, suspecting that the then-BRS government was tapping his mobile phone. Speaking to reporters after coming out of the SIT office, the TPCC chief said the police had recorded his statement in connection with the phone tapping case. He said his phone number was among those tapped during the tenure of the BRS regime. 'The officials informed me that my number too was under surveillance. I have given my complete statement to the SIT without any reservations,' he said. Describing phone tapping as an undemocratic and unconstitutional act, Goud recalled that during the 2023 elections, while he was serving as the PCC working president alongside then-TPCC President A Revanth Reddy, a formal complaint was lodged with the chief secretary regarding these illegal activities. 'Not just Congress leaders, but over 650 phones belonging to key leaders from various parties, including the BJP and TDP, were illegally tapped. The then-BRS government acted in a disgraceful and conspiratorial manner, aiming to silence the opposition and suppress rival parties,' Goud alleged. He went on to state that phone tapping was one of the major reasons behind the Congress party's defeat in the 2018 Assembly elections. 'Every constituency where we lost was subjected to surveillance. Our communications were monitored with the intention of sabotaging our election strategies,' he charged. Soon after losing power, the BRS leadership hurriedly got the crucial hard disks containing evidence of phone tapping destroyed. 'In a sinister plot to brand us as sympathizers of Naxalites, our phones were illegally monitored. This entire operation was carried out to tarnish our image and subvert democracy,' he added.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Cabinet mulls holding rural polls by July-end, awaits court nod on quotas
1 2 3 Hyderabad: In an informal cabinet meeting on Monday, it was decided in principle to go for panchayat, MPTC and ZPTC elections before the end of July, but only after an aggressive outreach on govt's welfare programmes. The govt is counting on Rythu Bharosa, jobs to youth and women-centric schemes to pay dividends in rural polls. The govt is waiting for resolution of the case on BC reservations in the high court to move ahead on polls. Sources said that elections may also be pushed to early August in order to give govt time to reach out to voters to showcase its welfare programmes. The cabinet will take a formal call after discussing it with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, and other senior leaders, sources said. After the cabinet approval, the State Election Commission (SEC) would be informed that the state govt was ready to provide police security, employees needed for poll duties and other logistics. As per the Panchayat Raj Act, state govt approval to extend all logistics is mandatory for the SEC to conduct elections. Sources said the meeting also decided that it was essential to get the message out to voters about the Congress govt's sincerity on welfare programmes and that it was "not implementing promises with an eye on polls". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Confidence packed. Wrinkles left behind. Philips Garment Steamers Book Now Undo In the backdrop of two ministers, D Anasuya and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, earlier announcing in public that election notification was expected by month-end, the CM cautioned cabinet colleagues not to talk about panchayat election dates when a case on reservations was pending in HC and also reminded them that it was for the SEC to announce poll schedule. "Commenting on elections when the case is in court will send wrong signals to the judiciary, SEC, and give ammunition to a sharp opposition to claim before the people that it is an 'election-centric Rythu Bharosa'," he is reported to have said. Sources said the CM did not express his ire on any of the ministers for speaking out of turn, and instead gave a strong message that he wanted to work in coordination and cooperation with all ministers and party leaders. The meeting was confident that the court will decide in favour of the govt on extending reservations to BCs in local bodies based on the caste survey conducted by the state govt. The CM and ministers were of the unanimous view that the Congress will field candidates by implementing its poll promise of 42% quota to BCs in local bodies even if the case was not in govt's favour. The CM and TPCC chief have been receiving a large number of representations on rural polls, with one section batting for MPTC and ZPTC elections followed by panchayat polls, while others seeking panchayat polls first followed by the other two categories. Hyderabad: In an informal cabinet meeting on Monday, it was decided in principle to go for panchayat, MPTC and ZPTC elections before the end of July, but only after an aggressive outreach on govt's welfare programmes. The govt is counting on Rythu Bharosa, jobs to youth and women-centric schemes to pay dividends in rural polls. The govt is waiting for resolution of the case on BC reservations in the high court to move ahead on polls. Sources said that elections may also be pushed to early August in order to give govt time to reach out to voters to showcase its welfare programmes. The cabinet will take a formal call after discussing it with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, and other senior leaders, sources said. After the cabinet approval, the State Election Commission (SEC) would be informed that the state govt was ready to provide police security, employees needed for poll duties and other logistics. As per the Panchayat Raj Act, state govt approval to extend all logistics is mandatory for the SEC to conduct elections. Sources said the meeting also decided that it was essential to get the message out to voters about the Congress govt's sincerity on welfare programmes and that it was "not implementing promises with an eye on polls". In the backdrop of two ministers, D Anasuya and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, earlier announcing in public that election notification was expected by month-end, the CM cautioned cabinet colleagues not to talk about panchayat election dates when a case on reservations was pending in HC and also reminded them that it was for the SEC to announce poll schedule. "Commenting on elections when the case is in court will send wrong signals to the judiciary, SEC, and give ammunition to a sharp opposition to claim before the people that it is an 'election-centric Rythu Bharosa'," he is reported to have said. Sources said the CM did not express his ire on any of the ministers for speaking out of turn, and instead gave a strong message that he wanted to work in coordination and cooperation with all ministers and party leaders. The meeting was confident that the court will decide in favour of the govt on extending reservations to BCs in local bodies based on the caste survey conducted by the state govt. The CM and ministers were of the unanimous view that the Congress will field candidates by implementing its poll promise of 42% quota to BCs in local bodies even if the case was not in govt's favour. The CM and TPCC chief have been receiving a large number of representations on rural polls, with one section batting for MPTC and ZPTC elections followed by panchayat polls, while others seeking panchayat polls first followed by the other two categories.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Cong will resist BJP's ‘divisive agenda': TPCC chief
Hyderabad: Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Tuesday accused the Narendra Modi govt of attempting to replace important provisions of the Constitution with Manusmriti. He said the Congress has launched the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim and Jai Samvidhan' movement to protect the Constitution and save the country from divisive forces. Addressing a public meeting after participating in the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, and Jai Samvidhan' rally in Shadnagar assembly constituency, organised by Congress local MLA Veerlapalli Shankar, Mahesh Goud alleged that Union home minister Amit Shah had insulted B R Ambedkar inside Parliament. He said the BJP will go to any extent to remain in power, accusing it of inciting caste and religious divisions to serve political interests, risking the country's unity. He said the Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, along with the entire Congress, are confronting divisive forces through various programmes. "Even after 11 years in power, the BJP govt is unable to showcase any significant development. The people have already taught the BJP a lesson for its overconfidence in securing 400 seats, yet the party refuses to change. PM Modi made tall claims of going to war with Pakistan, but backed down under pressure from US president Donald Trump. While Modi retreated, Indira Gandhi ensured that 92,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered during the 1971 war. The Congress demands answers. What did the country actually achieve or lose in Modi's so-called war with Pakistan?" he asked.
Hans India
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Cabinet expansion: CM, PCC chief to visit Delhi on June 4
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and PCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud are likely to visit Delhi on June 4, to discuss Cabinet expansion and PCC executive with the party high command. With a few Ministers not being included in the newly appointed PCC's Political Affairs Committee (PAC), there is a buzz in the political circles that the new Cabinet will have at least two to three Ministers replaced with new ones. This has added to further uncertainty even as different caste leaders competing for the Cabinet berth. Presently, the cabinet has four from Reddy community, two each from BC and SCs, one each from Brahmin, Kamma, Velama and ST, totalling 12, including Chief Minister. According to party sources, as the issue gets delayed, more and more legislators stake claim. With the case of Madiga MLAs being the latest instance who are now making their efforts to meet the AICC top brass, even BC legislators demand for their rightful share. The MLAs representing SC community have in recent months emphasised that Health Minister Damodara Rajanarsimha does not belong to Madiga community, but sub-caste (Mochi), trying to bury the argument that they have a representative in the Cabinet. Chief Minister and PCC president B Mahesh Goud during their last visit to the national capital were asked to discuss the matter in Delhi to finalise the names on May 30. But this has been reportedly postponed to June 4. On May 26, in an attempt to reduce the speculation, Mahesh Goud who briefed the media in Delhi clarified that this time the AICC has reached a conclusion and the Cabinet expansion proposal has been approved by Rahul Gandhi.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Kavitha, Raja Singh comments prove BRS, BJP secret partners: TPCC chief
Hyderabad: Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Friday said the allegations of BRS MLC K Kavitha and later by BJP senior MLA T Raja Singh on BJP-BRS merger efforts vindicated the Congress' stand that BRS and BJP are secret partners, and the pink party helped the BJP in the Lok Sabha and MLC elections. Mahesh Goud also demanded that Union minister G Kishan Reddy reply to allegations made by Raja Singh that some leaders in the saffron party were ready to support BRS-BJP merger in return for a "big package". Alleging that former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao has revived ties with former BRS miniter Eatala Rajender, now a BJP MP, in the backdrop of notices in the Kaleshwaram irrigation probe, the TPCC chief said: "It is learnt that BRS MLA and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao met Rajender at a farmhouse, following which KCR spoke to Eatala over phone." He accused Eatala of working for the BRS while being in BJP and asked him to make his stand clear if that was not the case. The TPCC president said that even if the BRS and BJP merged, there would be no impact on the Congress. "The BRS already scored a zero in Lok Sabha elections and the BJP tally of 8 MPs will remain the same even if there was a merger. The Congress is enjoying the confidence of the people due to its welfare schemes," he said.
