The chief minister has a bulletproof bathroom, newspapers in Hyderabad proclaimed on November 24. Stories about K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s palatial residence hogged headlines, and the common man was shocked and awed. Built on nine acres of prime land in Begumpet, in the middle of the city, the new house-cum-office has several high-tech security features and apparently cost the state government Rs 50 crore. The current market price of the property is said to be Rs 42 crore an acre.
But, why did Rao and his son, Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao, need protection? Apparently, as there are several sleeper cells of terrorists in Hyderabad, state intelligence officials felt they could be potential targets.
“It is mind boggling that a chief minister can have such a luxurious house,” said Telangana Congress president Nallamada Uttam Kumar Reddy. “He must have spent Rs 50 crore in just constructing the building, but what about the landscaping, the electrical works and other works, which amount to another Rs 50 crore?”
Said Telugu Desam Party leader A. Revanth Reddy: “Who said it was only nine acres? That was only for KCR’s house. He has taken another 10 acres and is planning to build houses for the director general of police, the speaker and the chief secretary. [He] is creating an empire from where he does not have to step out.”
In another controversial move, Rao vacated his chief minister’s chair for his spiritual guru Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar for a few minutes, triggering political furore. Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir even likened Rao to Roman emperor Nero.
“Why is the opposition raising such a hue and cry? We have not spent a paisa on my personal home,” said a bemused Rao during a discussion with some senior party leaders. Rao reportedly said that the new building was an official residence, which would be used by future chief ministers.
But the opposition did not let up. “He has built a one lakh sq.ft house for Rs 50 crore. If this is not arrogance and contempt towards the common man, what is?” asked Uttam Kumar Reddy. “While his house costs Rs 5,000 per sq.ft to build, the houses for the [economically] weaker sections should cost only Rs 750 per sq.ft. It is these gestures that will be remembered and will have a negative impact.”
Rao, who has been compared to Muhammad bin Tughluq, is said to rush into things and is known to be impatient with his colleagues. “We are only questioning his priority,” said Revanth Reddy. “Is this the time to build such an expensive home, when he has not kept any of his promises? Yes, he might be inaugurating 300 two-bedroom houses in Errabelli. [But] what is the use of building only 300 houses and that, too, in his own village. If he had been the sarpanch of the village, we could have appreciated it, but KCR is the chief minister. What about the promises to the other poor and their houses?”
The opposition has also criticised Rao’s obsession with vaastu shastra. When he became chief minister, Rao rushed to make his personal astrologer Suddala Sudhakar Teja a vaastu adviser to the government. Soon, Rao found a vaastu compliant place for his new home—the area behind the chief minister’s camp office, the government land where the IAS officers club stood. Rao promised the bureaucrats another plot for their club and the construction of the new building started. The camp office, where he previously stayed, has been converted into an official guest house for visiting dignitaries.
Vaastu also played a role in Rao’s selection of vehicles. As soon as he became chief minister, he replaced Tata Safaris used by the previous chief minister with bulletproof black Scorpios, and then ditched them for white models. Black was unlucky, according to vaastu. The change reportedly cost 06 crore. “And, when he travels abroad, he uses a private chartered jet,” said Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Said Revanth Reddy: “Vaastu as a sentiment is okay, but KCR is crazy about it. Constructing a new building for sentiment is understandable, but wanting to demolish buildings which have stood for more than 100 years for vaastu is not correct. Should he not take a technical opinion before deciding something like this? All I can say is that KCR is the political version of [film director] Ram Gopal Varma.”
