Former Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, who once claimed that the Kaleshwaram project was built with every drop of his blood, is now being haunted by the very same Kaleshwaram — like a serpent turning on its master. The tenure of the P.C. Ghose Commission has ended. Reports suggest that the Commission’s findings are ready and may be submitted to the government any day now. But suddenly, an unexpected twist: the Irrigation Department’s Principal Secretary, Rahul Bojja, issued orders extending the Commission’s term by another two months.
Just when BRS cadre thought the storm had passed, this move jolted them once again. Criticism began pouring in, with some calling it not a “Kaleshwaram Commission” but a “Congress Commission.” While political accusations fly, the burning questions remain — will KCR appear before the Commission? Will he seek relief from the courts, as he did in the power sector commission case? What revelations will emerge from the Kaleshwaram inquiry? What will the Commission’s report state? What action will the government take based on it? And ultimately, will the allegations of corruption surrounding Kaleshwaram reach KCR?
When he was in the Opposition, Revanth Reddy was relentlessly pursued by the KCR family. No one expects Revanth to let them off the hook so easily now. However, there’s a stark contrast between the two leaders. KCR held no restraint when targeting his opponents. He wouldn’t hesitate to jail them under any pretext, breaking into their homes if needed and showing no mercy. Revanth Reddy, however, is taking a different path. He wants KCR and his associates to face legal consequences — but through lawful and procedural means. He’s cautious to ensure the public doesn’t perceive any personal vendetta.
That’s why, so far, there haven’t been aggressive actions in cases like the phone tapping scandal, the E-formula car race, or the electricity commission inquiry. Government insiders say Revanth wants airtight evidence and irrefutable proof before proceeding to the final stage in any case. His aim is to legally pin down the accused without leaving any loopholes.
Take the Kaleshwaram case for instance — the P.C. Ghose Commission has had its term extended five or six times already. Several engineers and top officials were called in repeatedly. Affidavits were collected from some of them. The ACB raided former ENC Hariram and unearthed details of his disproportionate assets. Simultaneously, vigilance inquiries are ongoing. Along with the Commission probe and the Vigilance investigation, there is also a report from the National Dam Safety Authority. All this points to the government’s firm determination to gather conclusive evidence and establish guilt against the previous regime.
Hence, just when everyone assumed the Commission would conclude without directly questioning KCR and his team, the government triggered fresh panic in the BRS cadre by extending the Commission’s term again by two months.
This signals a new phase in the inquiry — what was until now an administrative-level investigation is now moving towards direct political accountability. The Commission, which had until now only questioned officers and water experts, is now summoning political leaders — starting with KCR on June 5. Will he appear? Or will he seek legal relief to avoid it? If he does appear, what will he say in front of the Commission?
If KCR appears on June 5 and Harish Rao follows on June 6, it would signal a major turning point in the inquiry. However, if KCR skips the summons and only Harish Rao shows up, the political consequences could be significant. Such a scenario could trigger talk that while Harish is trying to prove his integrity, KCR is attempting to dodge responsibility.
Adding more intrigue, KCR’s former close aide Etela Rajender is also scheduled to appear before the Commission on June 9. What he says could be even more sensational. KCR had targeted Etela harshly over endowment and assigned lands, subjecting him to financial and psychological distress. Will Etela spill the beans before the Commission? Or will he tread carefully and align with the BRS narrative out of loyalty to his former boss?
That’s now the hot topic across Telangana’s political circles.
