KTR says Formula E race was to enhance Hyderabad's brand image

Hyderabad, PTI: Ahead of his appearance before the Anti- Corruption Bureau, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao on Thursday said his agenda when he was minister in the previous regime was to make Hyderabad a pivotal hub for sustainable mobility as the world transitions towards it and Formula-E race was a part of that ambitious vision. Rao, also known as KTR, was summoned by the ACB for questioning in a case related to the alleged "unauthorised" payments to conduct Formula E race, on Thursday at 10 AM.

"Worked tirelessly for bringing a prestigious event to India, to enhance the Brand image of Hyderabad & Telangana globally. Agenda was to make Hyderabad a pivotal hub for sustainable mobility as the world transitions towards it. Formula-E race was a part of the effort to realise this ambitious vision," he said in a post on 'X'.

He further said the intent was to make TMV (Telangana Mobility Valley) clusters the epicentre for innovation, research and manufacturing of electric vehicles creating employment and revenue, he further said. "Small minds who are driven by petty politics may never understand any of this, but I am confident that people of Telangana who are observing everything will understand the truth and the vision. Truth always triumphs & justice will prevail," he said. Later, talking to reporters, Rao said he has done no wrong in the Formula-E race issue and that his endeavour was to enhance the brand image of Hyderabad. As minister during the previous BRS government, he did not do any corruption like the present Congress ministers, he said.

"The truth will come out eventually. We will continue to speak on people's issues," he said. Rao, who launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the ministers, said the cases filed by the Congress government would not divert the attention of BRS from speaking on public issues and the promises of the grand old party. BRS would continue to fight till "Telangana is freed from the jaws of Congress," he said.

Rao said whatever he did as a minister in the previous government, it was in the state's interests and he was not involved in any corruption. "As a son of Telangana soil, as an activist who fought for Telangana statehood and soldier of KCR (his father and BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao), I say that I had made a lot of efforts to enhance Telangana's prestige and to put Hyderabad on the global map as a minister. Those efforts had borne fruit," he said.

He also said he has faith in the judiciary and would be ready to answer any questions. "I say, as the son of KCR, that I will die for Telangana if necessary but not bow down before such persons," he said. A large number of BRS leaders, including MLAs and former ministers, visited Rao's residence before he left for questioning. The BRS workers raised slogans hailing Rao.

The ACB on December 19 registered a case against Rao, over alleged payments, most of it in foreign currency without approvals, to conduct the race in February 2023 during the previous regime. The case was registered under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC dealing with criminal misappropriation.