Will Revanth Reddy-AIMIM ‘friendship’ take a hit due to HYDRA?

Ever since its creation in July, HYDRA has gone on to demolished illegal encroachments built on lake beds.

Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy’s new agency HYDRA has certainly ruffled many feathers in the state’s political landscape. Moreover, the ‘friendly’ All India Majlis-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) which has so far been supporting him, has also openly denounced Revanth’s action, as HYDRA is reportedly eyeing a college built by AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi .

Over the last few days, AIMIM Chandrayangutta MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi-run Fathima Owaisi college has also come under HYDRA’s scanner, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also demanding the Congress-run Telangana government to look into encroachments by the AIMIM. This has left the AIMIM miffed and wondering as to why Revanth Reddy is taking a ‘political risk’ with HYDRA in spite of being on fairly good terms with the AIMIM.

Ever since its creation in July, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRA) has gone on to demolished illegal encroachments built on lake beds. So far, over 40 acres of land has been reclaimed by the state government, which includes the N Convention centre land owned by the actor Nagarjuna, and other properties belonging to different political leaders.

“Both Asadduddin and Akbarduddin Owaisi have made their disapproval known, but Revanth Reddy seems to be digging his own grave with this. All the builders who donated money for his election campaign will also be targetted. HYDRA was brought upon very suddenly without any discussion,” said a senior AIMIM functionary who did not want to be quoted.

Ever since the Congress came to power in Telangana last year, Revanth Reddy struck a truce with the Owaisi brothers, and even took the AMIM’s help for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Both sides have been “friendly” with each other, an equation that the AIMIM earlier held with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) until it lost to the Congress in the 2023 Assembly elections.

The AIMIM functionary added that there are legal issues with HYDRA which can be easily challenged in courts. “With us, he is talking about only the Fathima Owaisi College. However, other BRS, Congress and BJP leaders also have built properties on full tank levels of lakes as well. Moreover, are they going to revive the lakes HYDRA is claiming to save? There is no clarity,” he added.

Earlier this week, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi criticized those advocating for the demolition of the institutions he established. While it is unsure as to whether there is an encroachment of illegal land by Owaisi, HYDRA in August reclaimed 12 acres of the lake Bum-Rukn-Ud-Dowla in Rajendranagar.

The illegal structures demolished in the lake’s full tank level had belonged to AIMIM MLA Mohammed Mubeen and MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig. The illegal structures included two ground-plus-5-floor buildings, 40 compound walls, and one building with ground-plus-2 floors. However, Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Agency (HYDRA), headed by IPS officer AV Ranganath, has so far not said anything about properties owned by Akbaruddin Owaisi.

When asked, a senior Congress leader told Siasat.com that there is no selective targetting of any political leaders with regard to HYDRA, and that all illegal properties regardless of who built it will be demolished. He however refused to comment when asked if Revanth Reddy’s actions will impact the party’s relationship with the AIMIM.

“Revanth Reddy will get support from the common people. If GHMC elections are held now, it will help the Congress, since he is saving lakes. But parties BRS, AIMIM or BJP will of course have an issue. Certainly many rich people are upset with Revanth. If he continues whatever he is doing, and follows rules of HYDRA, then there is a possibility of getting mass support. But if it is short-lived then it will be seen as a political gimmick,” said Prof E Venkatesu, from the University of Hyderabad’s political science department.

Chief minister Revanth Reddy earlier in July recommended expanding HYDRA to oversee an area encompassing 2,000 square kilometers up to the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Earlier known as the Disaster Management department, it was renamed to HYDRA on July 1. In the last few weeks, Hyderabad citizens woke up to the agency bulldozing various illegal encroachments in and around Hyderabad that were built on lakes.

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