Andhra Pradesh MP Vijayasai Reddy who completes his tenure in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday gave a warm farewell speech in the upper house while also taking a swipe at the Congress as he looked back at his entry into parliament years ago. "India is an incredible country. Born in Tallapudi in Nellore district and practising accountancy in Chennai, I never imagined that I would make it to the parliament. The past six years have been very memorable ones for me and my party.... (sic)" he wrote in a tweet.
"I have been fortunate enough to be a member of this house under your chairmanship, who always maintained the discipline, and also the values. At the same time, I should express my gratiude to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for sending me to this august house. I will be failing in my responsibility if I don't thank Congress that foisted case against me," he says in a video he shared on Twitter while addressing the upper house and chairman Venkaiah Naidu. Other MPs sitting around him, including Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi, once a Congress member, break into laughter as he speaks.
The reference was to a disproportionate assets case linked to the Rajya Sabha member and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy over which he has attacked the Congress and Rahul Gandhi in the past. Vijayasai who was the auditor of companies owned by Jagan Mohan Reddy was arrested in the illegal assets case about 10 years- ago when the Congress was in power at the centre.
In his speech, however, the Andhra leader thanked all MPs he has been associated with. "In fact Jairam Ramesh ji has a special place in my heart. He always guided me," he said as the ex-union minister Jairam Ramesh got up to say something in response. "I hail from a small village... We both belong to the same constituency," he told Venkaiah Naidu.
{{/usCountry}}In his speech, however, the Andhra leader thanked all MPs he has been associated with. "In fact Jairam Ramesh ji has a special place in my heart. He always guided me," he said as the ex-union minister Jairam Ramesh got up to say something in response. "I hail from a small village... We both belong to the same constituency," he told Venkaiah Naidu.
{{/usCountry}}The Andhra leader also praised union finance minister Nirmala Sithraman: "She is one of the most honest and sincere ministers in the Modi cabinet. That's what I honestly and sincerely feel. She gives a very patient hearing..I have met her multiple times and she gives a sincere hearing to the issue of Andhra each time."
Seventy-two leaders retired on Thursday from Rajya Sabha.