KCR threatens to sue TDP leaders for defamation

HYDERABAD: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao Friday threatened to file a defamation case against Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders for allegations that he struck a "secret deal" with the Congress to "dilute" the agitation for a separate Telangana state.Launching a counter attack on TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, the TRS leader dared him to an open debate on allegations of corruption and their assets."People know who is the collection king. Naidu lives a benami (proxy) life. He is neck deep in corruption. In fact his other name is corruption," said KCR, as Rao is popularly known.A day after Naidu launched a bitter attack on KCR over the alleged "secret deal", KCR told reporters that many books were published on the corruption scandals during Naidu's nine-year rule.The MP from Mahabubnagar denied that he has anything to do with the contract bagged by construction and infrastructure firm SEW for executing Polavaram Irrigation Project, which is worth over Rs.47 billion."I don't even know how to file a tender," said KCR, adding that he has already written to Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy to cancel the tender of the controversial project.SEW is reportedly close to KCR as it has made investments in "Namasthe Telangana", a Telugu daily owned by him."Some sons of Telangana have made investments in 'Namasthe Telangana' and if they have some other business, how can I be linked with that," wondered the TRS chief."I have no benami assets like Naidu. I own 24 acres of agricultural land in Medak district and two houses in Hyderabad and Karimnagar," he said on TDP's demand to declare his assets.The MP said he invested Rs.40 million in "Namasthe Telangana" and Rs.5.5 million in T News, a Telugu television channel.Recalling his fast unto death for Telangana state in 2009 at the risk of his life, KCR said TDP had no moral right to criticize him. Claiming that some more TDP legislators were set to join TRS, he urged the TDP leaders of Telangana to come out of a party headed by someone from Andhra.Earlier, TDP leaders had accused KCR of "bartering away" the Telangana movement, alleging that the "people's strike" in the region was called off after SEW bagged the contract for Polavaram.They also alleged that TRS changed its stand on the Polavaram project.TRS and other parties fighting for Telangana state have long been opposing Polavaram project across Godavari river on the ground that it would benefit only coastal Andhra and spell doom for the backward Telangana region.