A confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) escalated into a showdown in Hyderabad on Thursday (July 2, 2026), with leaders from both sides challenging each other to public debates over allegations of irregularities in the procurement of uniforms, shoes, and school bags for students of Telangana’s residential educational institutions (Gurkulams). The BRS has alleged a ₹2,041-crore scam in the procurement process, claiming that the government bypassed the Telangana State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society (TGCO) and awarded centralized contracts to out-of-state corporate firms, undermining local weavers and self-help groups. The Congress government, however, rejected the allegations, arguing that the procurement model had been restructured to improve transparency and quality control.
The new system is based on a centralized Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) that conducts open national tenders, which the government says is aimed at standardizing supplies and dismantling entrenched contractor networks. The standoff intensified after BRS general secretary and former IPS officer R.S. Praveen Kumar challenged Congress leaders to an open debate on the issue.
Accepting the challenge, Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Adluri Lakshman, and Md. Azharuddin assembled at the Congress Legislature Party office in the Assembly premises before moving to Gun Park, where they waited for BRS leaders to join the discussion. At the same time, former Minister T.
Harish Rao, accompanied by Mr. Praveen Kumar, former Minister T. Srinivas Yadav, and party workers, attempted to proceed from Telangana Bhavan to Gun Park. However, police stopped them en route, leading to heated exchanges.
The leaders and several supporters were subsequently detained and taken away in police vehicles to Kanchanbagh Police Station. Questioning the police action, Mr. Harish Rao said the BRS was only seeking to participate in a debate with Congress Ministers. Holding up documents that he claimed contained evidence of irregularities in the tender process, he alleged that the government was avoiding scrutiny.
Earlier, Social Welfare Minister Adluri Lakshman dismissed the allegations and challenged BRS leaders to substantiate their claims with evidence. He maintained that the procurement process was transparent and accused the Opposition of attempting to mislead the public with unsubstantiated charges of kickbacks. The confrontation was not limited to the procurement controversy, with BRS working president K.T.
Rama Rao remaining at Telangana Bhavan awaiting a separate debate with Tourism and Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on the State’s finances and debt position. Speaking at Gandhi Bhavan, Mr. Krishna Rao reiterated the Congress government’s charge that the previous BRS administration had left Telangana burdened with debt exceeding ₹7 lakh crore. He called on BRS leaders to present their arguments jointly and said the government was prepared to counter them with official records in a public forum. | Video Credits: NAGARA GOPAL, RAMAKRISHNA G
