VIJAYAWADA: The TDP and the BJP indulged in a fresh war of words after the former charged that Opposition YSRC leaders held a ‘secret meeting’ with saffron party leaders in New Delhi on Thursday.
TDP general secretary and IT Minister Nara Lokesh tweeted a 32-second video of YSRC leader Buggana Rajendranath Reddy and BJP MLA Akula Satyanarayana entering Andhra Bhavan and wondered, “What could be the reason behind YSRCP and AP BJP MLAs meeting their Delhi bosses secretly?”
His Cabinet colleagues K Atchannaidu and N Amarnath Reddy alleged that Buggana had a clandestine meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah. “What we have been saying all along has been proved true. We stand vindicated. The YSRC is behaving like a BJP affiliate,” they claimed.
The TDP allegations infuriated the BJP with its state party president Kanna Lakshminarayana warning the yellow brigade not to test the party’s patience by spreading lies. “We will approach the Press Council, if necessary everyday, to counter the fake news being spread by the TDP. We also advise the media to crosscheck the facts,” he said. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister too, during a late night meeting with TDP leaders, spoke of the “secret” meet.
When contacted, Buggana said, “Are they mad? I was in New Delhi on personal work. I accidentally ran into BJP MLA (Akula), who was an old acquaintance, at the Andhra Bhavan. I also met a TDP leader there. Does it mean he is also joining YSRC?”
The YSRC legislator questioned how people in responsible positions could make such irresponsible claims.
Akula also told TNIE more or less the same and pointed out why would they hold a ‘secret’ meeting, if at all they wanted to, at the Andhra Bhavan for everyone to see. Another BJP leader expressed dismay over ‘the level to which the TDP is stooping, going so far as to even access the CCTV footage of Andhra Bhavan and tailing them’.