Joint attack on Andhra CM by TDP, TRS, Left

Key allies of the emerging third front — the Telugu Desam Party, the Telengana Rashtra Samiti and the Left — mounted a joint offensive against Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajashekhar Reddy, alleging money laundering of “astounding amounts”, reports Zia Haq.

Key allies of the emerging third front — the Telugu Desam Party, the Telengana Rashtra Samiti and the Left — mounted a joint offensive against Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajashekhar Reddy, alleging money laundering of “astounding amounts”.

HT Image

TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, along with leaders of the TRS, the CPM and the CPI, formally ‘released’ two reports that “uncover” a scam — worth thousands of crores — involving Reddy.

“The CM’s total family income in 2004, as declared, was Rs 41 lakh,” said Naidu. “Recently, in a statement before the registrar of companies, the CM’s family has stated that the total valuation of their family companies was worth Rs 10,000 crore. Corruption is evident.” Naidu said the state government had also circumvented rules to favour a firm for a 10,000 MW power-generation deal in several states worth Rs 10,000 crore.

“Prima facie there is reasonable ground to suspect wrongdoing,” said CPM’s Sitaram Yechury.

“The charges are baseless and politically motivated by a desperate TDP and TRS,” M.S. Reddy, Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh, told HT from Nellore. “We’re ready for whatever probe they want.”