: Political tensions between the Telangana Congress government and the Opposition BRS escalated after police arrested party social media convenor Manne Krishank over a post linked to an Assembly protest.
Tensions between the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Congress government escalated in Telangana Friday after a large contingent of police surrounded the house of BRS leader and social media convenor Manne Krishank and arrested him over a social media post.
Krishank was booked over a social media post on the ruckus inside and outside the Legislative Assembly during a BRS protest against the state government earlier this month. He was questioned and released on September 17.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media after appearing before an Anti-Corruption Bureau court in connection with the Formula E case, KTR accused the Revanth Reddy government of targeting Opposition leaders.
“For the last three years, ever since the Congress government came to power, its entire focus has been on targeting the Opposition. The government has been trying to harass and trouble KCR and the leadership of the BRS party. After coming to power, the government should have focused on how to implement its manifesto and fulfil the promises it made to the people,” KTR told the media after the court appearance. “The Congress government made tall promises to farmers — including a Rs 2 lakh loan waiver, Rs 15,000 Rythu Bharosa, and a bonus for farmers — but has failed to fulfil them.”
Stating that he has been cooperating fully with the investigation and attending court whenever summoned, KTR said his former chief minister father K Chandrashekar Rao and his family were targets of “malicious propaganda” by the Revanth Reddy government.
“The Formula E race was an initiative that brought a good name to Hyderabad and Telangana. The Formula E race was an effort to attract large-scale investments into the electric vehicle sector. The race was organised as part of efforts to bring investments to Telangana, but the government is now making allegations against it. I have appeared before the court twice in the Formula E race case.
“I will cooperate with the court and will appear for the inquiry whenever I am called,” he stated.
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The Formula E race case against KTR involves the transfer of Rs 45 crore to a foreign company, Formula-E Organisers (FOE), in February 2023, when KTR was minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, and Hyderabad hosted the Formula E race, an international electric car racing event. After the Congress came to power in 2023, the ACB booked him in December 2024 under the Prevention of Corruption Act as well as IPC Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
The ACB alleges that KTR failed to take clearance from the state Cabinet before authorising former Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) principal secretary Arvind Kumar to pay Rs 45 crore to FOE. It also alleges that the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HMDA) paid Rs 45 crore in two instalments to FOE.
The money transfers, made in sterling, allegedly violated Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rules, which resulted in a fine of Rs 8 crore being imposed on the Telangana government, then headed by KTR’s father, KCR.
The ruckus broke out earlier this month during a BRS protest against the state government, with a confrontation between BRS members and police reported both inside and outside the Assembly premises. The protest, over the government’s policies and alleged failure to fulfil its poll promises, led to a series of cases and counter-allegations between the ruling Congress and the Opposition BRS.
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On September 7, BRS legislators who were wearing black T-shirts with anti-Congress slogans were stopped from entering the state Assembly, leading to a scuffle with the police. Krishank was booked over a social media post over a social-media post on this confrontation.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
