With the main Opposition Congress party raising serious questions about the “luxurious” lifestyle of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his family members and splurging of public money on his official residence, ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti has lashed back by taking the issue to the streets.

Several Ministers, legislators and other party leaders led protest demonstrations in Hyderabad and other places in Telangana and burnt the effigy of State Congress president Uttam Kumar Reddy for making allegations against the Chief Minister and his family.

It all started with Uttam Kumar Reddy going hammer and tongs against the Chief Minister  for leading a luxurious life at the cost of public exchequer.

Stung by the criticism Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao retorted by challenging Uttam Kumar Reddy’s claim that his official residence had more than 50 rooms. “If you prove Pragati Bhavan has more than 15 rooms I will resign”, KCR said. 

Uttam Kumar Reddy on his part denied saying the official residence of CM had 50 rooms. “What I had said was an amount of Rs 50 to 60 crore was spent to build a 100,000  square foot house on public land worth Rs 400 to Rs 500 crore. I stand by this”, he said rejecting the attacks by the Chief Minister in him.

He demanded Chief Minister to respond whether his official residence had bullet proof bathrooms and bedrooms.

He said Congress as an opposition party was doing its duty of keeping a check on how the public money was being spent.

Reddy alleged that no other Chief Minister in the country lived in such a big house. “Even Prime Minister’s residence is not so luxurious”, he said. He also criticised the Chief Minister and his family members for travelling in luxurious cars and private chartered aircrafts. “The only family to benefit in Telangana is of the Chief Minister”, Uttam Kumar Reddy said. 

But the TRS has not taken the criticism lightly. Alleging that Uttam Kumar Reddy had used objectionable language against the Chief Minister the party has demanded an unconditional apology from him.

Defending the Chief Minister TRS leaders including Minister Talasari Srinivas Yadav and Hyderabad Mayor Bonthu Rammohan said that the house built was not Chief Minister’s personal property but an official residence.

They asked why the Congress leaders had kept quiet when a camp office was built during YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s Chief Ministership.

Mayor Rammohan said that the Uttam Kumar Reddy had no moral right to attack Chief Minister and his family who fought pitched battle in the streets for Telangana and were arrested by the Congress government during the movement for Telangana.