Sand mining row reportedly triggers rift between Telangana Congress leaders

Hyderabad: The controversy surrounding Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha abusing Jukkal MLA Laxmikantha Rao in New Delhi commenced a few months ago, when the legislator dared to disregard the minister’s request of the minister to allow his brother and henchmen to illegally mine sand in Jukkal constituency areas.

With the Jukkal MLA vehemently opposing the minister’s diktat, the issue turned personal and ugly. The MLA has been opposing illegal sand mining and voicing his concerns on the environmental impact, according to highly placed sources in the Congress.

The Minister, sources said, wanted his brother Ramchander and another close aide Swamy, to take up sand mining operations in Jukkal. Accordingly, he had invited the Jukkal MLA to discuss the issue in the presence of senior Congress leader and former MLA Enugu Ravinder Reddy and a few others, party sources said. When Laxmikantha Rao did not heed to the Minister’s instructions, the minister got angry began yelling at the MLA, sources confirmed.

Just when the confrontation between the Minister and Jukkal MLA appeared to have settled, appointment of P Chandrashekhar Reddy as Sangareddy DCC president triggered further issues between the minister and the MLA.

The Health Minister was stated to be miffed over this appointment as he was lobbying for the appointment of his close aide and an NRI, Ujwal Reddy. The Minister was reported to have accused the Jukkal MLA of using his contacts in New Delhi and influencing the AICC leadership over the DCC president appointment.

Since then, he was reportedly maintaining a cold relationship with the Jukkal MLA. Things turned ugly at 10.30 am on November 1 in Hotel Shangri-La lobby, when the Minister repotedly abused Laxmikantha Rao. The Ibrahimpatnam MLA Malreddy Rangareddy, Kamareddy DCC president Mallikarjun and other leaders, besides a few journalists witnessed the outburst of the minister.

“Damodar Rajanarasimha threatened me and my family with dire consequences and even said he would eliminate me. He abused me in highly objectionable and unparliamentary language. This is unacceptable,” Laxmikantha Rao confirmed to persistent questions on the issue.

The Jukkal MLA said he held the Health Minister in high regard as a senior Congress leader and experienced politician. The Health Minister should be setting an example to junior MLAs and leaders with his conduct, but of late he has been using abusive language towards me and threatening, he said.

“There has to be a limit. I have already written to AICC incharge Meenakshi Natarajan over Damodar Rajanarasimha threatening me and my family. I will also be taking up the issue with Privilege Committee in the Assembly, besides AICC and Telangana Congress leadership seriously,” Laxmikantha Rao added.