HYDERABAD: The war of words over cash-for-vote episode continued even on Thursday with leaders from TDP, TRS and the Congress trading charges at each other.
Speaking to reporters here at Telangana Bhavan, Telangana roads and buildings minister Tummala Nageswara Rao wanted AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu not to lower the pride of both Telugu-speaking states on the streets of Delhi.
Even though Naidu’s audio was found in the cash-for-vote episode, he was visiting every office in Delhi and thereby diluting the prestige of Telugu-speaking states, Tummala alleged. The minister further said that Naidu was trying to gain political mileage by raking up Section 8 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Tummala advised Naidu not to dilute the chief minister’s post by creating unnecessary controversies.
Commercial taxes minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said no one could save Naidu in the cash-for-vote case. “Naidu is behaving silly. He is repeatedly alleging that his phone was tapped, but never denied that he only sent MLA A Revanth Reddy to buy votes,” Talasani alleged.
Finding fault with Naidu for engaging police from AP for his security, Talasani wondered whether Naidu will get water and power too from AP for his use in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, TRS student wing submitted a petition to the State Human Rights Commission to name Naidu as A-one in the cash-for-vote episode.
However, countering the allegations of the Telangana ministers, TDP leader from AP Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy alleged that Revanth Reddy was implicated in the cash-for-vote case as Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao wanted to retaliate against Revanth Reddy.
“How can we praise KCR when he was poaching TDP MLAs in Telangana,” Somireddy questioned. “We are speaking against Rao as the TRS government resorted to tapping of phones of AP ministers and leaders,” Somireddy said.
CPI Telangana state secretary Chada Venkata Reddy said that Naidu should prove himself that he had no role in the cash-for-vote case. Saying that CPI was considering the case very seriously, Chada expressed doubts over the role of Naidu along with Revanth Reddy in the case. He said that KCR was following the footsteps of YS Rajasekhara Reddy in encouraging defections of MLAs from other parties.
The Congress, on the other hand, said the two chief ministers, who head two regional parties in their respective states, are inciting the sentiments of the people of Telugu states for their selfish political gains.
Former MLAs D Sudheer Reddy, K Srisailam Goud and others, at a press conference, demanded that a CBI probe be initiated into the episode and also into the defections engineered by KCR.