KCR Misusing Public Money By Skipping Assembly, Says Minister Ponnam Prabhakar

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has launched a sharp attack on BRS president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) over his continued absence from the Legislative Assembly, urging him to attend the monsoon session beginning Monday.

Speaking at a Congress-organised Maha Dharna at Indira Park in Hyderabad, Ponnam questioned why KCR continued to draw the benefits of being an MLA despite rarely attending the House. He alleged that the former Chief Minister was misusing public money by staying away from legislative proceedings while continuing to receive salary and other facilities.

Ponnam said KCR, who served as Chief Minister for nearly a decade, had a responsibility to participate in the Assembly and raise issues on behalf of the people as the leader of the principal opposition party. He argued that the public was increasingly questioning the absence of elected representatives from their duties.

Drawing a comparison with government employees, the minister said an employee who repeatedly failed to report for duty would face disciplinary action. The same principle, he suggested, should apply to elected representatives who are expected to remain accountable to voters.

Ponnam also urged Congress workers to highlight the government’s welfare and development initiatives, including free bus travel for women, distribution of fine rice, Indiramma housing and the recruitment of around 72,000 government employees.

Turning his attention to the BJP, Ponnam challenged the party’s state leaders to explain what the NDA government at the Centre had done for Telangana. He alleged that the BRS and BJP were working together to undermine the Congress government.

IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu and several other Congress leaders also addressed the protest.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had earlier alleged that over the past 1,000 days, the government had spent around ₹1.24 crore on KCR’s salary and another ₹21 crore on his security, bulletproof vehicles and other facilities, despite his limited participation in the Assembly.