Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender intervenes in Chintal Basti demolition, demands two-day delay

Hyderabad: Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender strongly opposed the removal of unauthorized structures opposite Shadan College in Chintal Basti, Hyderabad, on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. A team of officials, accompanied by tight police security, had initiated the drive when Nagender intervened.

The MLA was particularly upset that the authorities had not informed him about the action in advance. Upon learning of the operation, he reached the location and stopped the officials from proceeding. He also contacted the officials by phone, expressing frustration with not being given prior notice.

Speaking to the officials over the phone in front of the media, Nagender said, “I don’t care if I lose my MLA position! I am ready to face whatever consequences come my way. I will sit in front of the bulldozer!” He criticized the officials for failing to inform him as the local MLA and demanded that the work be halted until Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy Anumula returned from abroad. He threatened to stage a sit-in protest if his request was not addressed.

Nagender also questioned the urgency of the action, asking, “How can you behave like this? What’s happening? Don’t you have the responsibility to inform the local MLA? Give me two days. Will the world end in these two days?”

The MLA accused the drive of bringing disrepute to the government and suggested the authorities focus on tackling larger encroachments, such as commercial complexes. He said, “Come with me, and I will show you hundreds of buildings. I will create law and order problems if you don't stop now. We should answer the public, not you. Don’t take it as a matter of prestige.”

Danam Nagender, who switched from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to the Congress party in March 2024, has had an active political career in Hyderabad. He previously served as a Minister in the United Andhra Pradesh government and was elected MLA for Khairatabad in 2009 and 2018 before returning to Congress.

𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐋𝐀 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐍𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢

Khairatabad MLA, Danam Nagender, voiced his anger over the demolition of unauthorized structures opposite Shadan College, accusing officials of… pic.twitter.com/Zq65HEDrDM

— Hyderabad Mail (@Hyderabad_Mail) January 22, 2025