VIJAYAWADA: YSRC senior leader Ummareddy Venkateswarlu lashed out at Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for raking up ‘unnecessary controversies’ over the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and convening a Cabinet meeting when the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in force.
Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad on Thursday, Venkateswarlu said Naidu, who has 40 years of political experience in politics, is preparing the ground for his defeat in the elections. “Various poll surveys, both regional and national, are predicting the TDP’s defeat, because of which Naidu is trying to make an issue out of trivial matters,’’ he said.
Stating that the official machinery had worked effectively before and after Cyclone Fani hit the State, Venkateswarlu questioned as to what was the need for Naidu to convene the Cabinet meeting a week after the cyclone.
“How can he (Naidu) talk in an intimidatory manner to the Chief Secretary and other officials for strictly adhering to the Model Code of Conduct?’’ he wondered and alleged that Naidu was yet to clear bills of some departments.
Another YSRC leader and Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy too lashed out at the CM for putting pressure on the Governor to clear the names of persons proposed for the posts of information commissioner.
On the ongoing tussle between Chief Secretary LV Subramanyam and Naidu over convening the Cabinet meeting, Vijayasai Reddy said the Chief Secretary had kept pending the bills of contractors who had ‘funded’ the TDP in the just-concluded elections.