‘PMO working with tainted politicians’
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu stepped up his anti-BJP offensive on Thursday, accusing the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) of using people suspected of criminal wrongdoing to undertake witch-hunts against him and his government.
In his address to the state legislative council, Naidu — also the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president — referred to a statement by YSR Congress MP V Vijay Sai Reddy that he would continue to meet PM Narendra Modi until the CM was jailed. “I don’t need Chandrababu Naidu’s permission to meet the PM. I will continue to meet the PM to submit all the evidence at my disposal on the corruption charges against Naidu...” Sai Reddy told mediapersons in Delhi on Wednesday.
Naidu alleged that Sai Reddy was an economic offender, and the “accused no 2” in CBI cases filed against YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy. “Now he is seen in the PMO, regularly. How can the PM allow an accused in criminal cases into his office? What message is the PMO sending by entertaining a person who threatens to put me behind bars?” he asked.
In his response, BJP state president K Hari Babu said, “Sai Reddy is an MP, and has every right to approach the PMO. He is an accused, not a convict. If the charges against him are proved, he will be disqualified...” he said.
In a teleconference with party seniors earlier in the day, Naidu had expressed apprehensions that the Centre may resort to a witch-hunt against him and the ruling party.
SRINIVASA RAO APPARASU
HYDERABAD: