Telangana: After Land Grabbing Allegations, Etela Ready To Tender His Resignation

Former Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender on Saturday  who was sacked and dropped from Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s  (KCR) cabinet on Sunday, just a day after he was stripped of his cabinet portfolio following land grabbing allegations said that self-respect is more important than anything else and he was willing to resign.

 However, a  statement from Raj Bhavan said, "On the advice of the Chief Minister of Telangana, the Governor has dropped Etala Rajender from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, " and he was unceremoniously dropped from the Cabinet.

On Saturday, KCR took the state’s Medical, Health and Family welfare portfolio from Etela Rajender. KCR had ordered a probe in the land grabbing allegations against Etela is said to have occupied assigned lands. The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Vigilance department officials were camped in Achampet and Hakimpet villages of Medak district to conduct a detailed enquiry.

Under the supervision of Medak Collector A. Harish and the Vigilance department, it was found that Jamuna Hatcheries, run by the family members of Etela Rajender, grabbed about 66.01 acres of land from the assignees.

Responding to the developments, Etela said that these allegations were a pre-planned sketch and added that he has not committed any transgressions in the land issue. He said that he has been associated with KCR for the last 19 years and had never done anything that could damage the reputation of the pink party.

Etela also said that he was ready to tender his resignation, as he was unable to take the blame for what he has not done. He said that he would take a decision after discussing with the people of Huzurabad constituency, his followers and well-wishers about the future course of action