Telangana IT Minister K Taraka Rama Rao’s decision to choose actress Samantha as Brand Ambassador for handlooms promotion in the state has evoked severe uproar among political circles. Many political leaders are ridiculing his decision for choosing an actress hails from Kerala, ignoring Telangana women.

Demanding the reasoning behind the decision, Congress leader in Legislative Council Mohammad Shabbir Ali questioned KTR’s decision for selecting Samantha who does not hail from Telangana to promote handlooms.

Strongly objecting the nomination of Samantha, he further questioned whether the financial dealings with Tollywood actor Akkineni Nagarjuna influenced the decision, as she is becoming daughter-in-law of Akkineni’s family.

It may be recalled that a fortnight ago, Samantha has been appointed as brand ambassador for handloom products of Telangana government. Immediately after she met the Minister KT Rama Rao and expressed her interests on handloom products, appreciating the actress interests, Rama Rao asked Samantha to be the brand ambassador for handlooms.

Shabbir Ali recalled that before coming to power Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had threatened to demolish N Convention Centre, owned by Akkineni Nagarjuna, within 15 days after forming the government. But after forming the government, he said surprisingly no action was taken, moreover irregularities were regularised.

Stating that a Telangana personality would be more justified as the brand Ambassador, he wondered that why the minister K T Rama Rao is suddenly showing interest for promotion of handloom. Recalling that Sirsilla constituency, represented by the minister is having large number of weavers, who are in disastrous living conditions, Shabbir Ali asked whether the minister made any effort to come to their rescue during last two and half years?