Telangana: Health minister stripped off his portfolio, CM KCR takes charge

In a major development, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has taken the Medical, Health and Family Welfare portfolio from Eatala Rajender after allegations that the latter grabbed lands of farmers in Medak district.

The Chief Minister will keep the portfolio with him. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan approved the transfer of the portfolio from Rajender to the Chief Minister.

"On the advice of the Chief Minister of Telangana, the Governor has approved the transfer of the Medical, Health & Family Welfare portfolio from Eatala Rajender to the Chief Minister with immediate effect," said a press communique from Raj Bhavan on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, P Sudhakara Reddy, BJP National Co-Incharge, Tamil Nadu, reacting to the allegations that have been raised against the former Etela Rajender said that the BJP in Telangana, from the beginning has been saying that many TRS leaders including MLAs, MPs, Ministers and even the corporators are indulging in illegal activities including land grabbing.

He demanded a detailed inquiry into not just the Etela Rajender case but also in all the other cases where leaders have been accused of illegal activities.

"In Telangana, there is no people's government and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao runs a dictatorship. He has imposed the rule: Of the KCR, By the KCR and for the KCR," added Reddy.

On Friday, following the allegations of land grabbing against Etela Rajender, the Chief Minister had ordered an inquiry into the complaints of encroachments of lands on the outskirts of Achampet in Masaipet Mandal in Medak district.

The Chief Minister instructed chief secretary Somesh Kumar to get an inquiry done by the District Collector on the complaints of land grabbing and submit a comprehensive report to him.

Rao also instructed Director General of Police (vigilance) Purnachandra Rao to find out the truth about the allegations, and further issued orders that the primary inquiry on the matter should be done immediately.

A few farmers had on Friday levelled allegation against Rajender of grabbing around 20 acres of land in Achampet and Hakimpet in Medak district.

Reacting to the allegations, Rajender had demanded a hearing by a sitting judge in the matter. He had said that his "self-respect" is more valuable to him than his position.

"There are several leaders who have earned hundreds of crores of rupees through illegal means. I demand an inquiry into all those people and their properties," he had said while demanding an inquiry into his own property.

The minister said that he had already informed the Chief Minister about the ongoing allegations against him. He claimed that allegations against him were pre-planned to defame him.

"Back in 2016, for the establishment of a hatchery, I had taken a loan of Rs 100 crores from Canara Bank. The land which I am accused of grabbing is still being used by the beneficiaries," Rajender said.

(With agency inputs)