The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Rajasekhara Reddy hits back at Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Rajasekhara Reddy hits back at Naidu

HYDERABAD: Annoyed over the Telugu Desam Party’s charges that he had amassed wealth, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy expressed willingness on Tuesday to appoint an inquiry commission to inquire into the properties of his family and that of TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu if the latter was ready.

The commission could start its inquiry by verifying the extent of properties owned by them when they entered politics in 1978.

“I am an income tax assessee from my student days whereas Mr. Naidu owned two acres of land when he entered politics,” he said.

Dr. Reddy was addressing a press conference to react to Mr. Naidu’s charge that he was earning Rs. 1 crore an hour ever since he became Chief Minister over three years ago.

Deriding the allegation, the Chief Minister said Mr. Naidu was lowering the prestige of the institution of Opposition leader by making such “cheap” charges. Mr. Naidu who preferred to be called as CEO of Andhra Pradesh had himself amassed wealth.

“Persons linked with Abdul Karim Telgi were in Mr. Naidu’s Cabinet and the likes of Kola Krishna Mohan of Euro lottery episode gave donations to TDP,” he said. The TDP leader never gave scope for inquiring charges against him in the Yeleru scam and liquor pay-offs and set aside the Opposition’s demand for a CBI probe when Tehelka named him the richest politician with assets worth over Rs. 2,000 crore.

Referring to the spate of promises being made by the TDP, he said Mr. Naidu was “dreaming” of coming back to power through “false promises” and allegations against the Government.

The previous Government’s efforts to dilute public sector undertakings and forcible collection of power dues in addition to Mr. Naidu’s claims that agriculture was “a wasteful exercise” were still fresh in the minds of the people.

Ready for probe

The TDP said it was prepared for such an inquiry against Mr. Naidu. The Congress Government had instituted 22 such probes and one more would not make any difference, the TDLP deputy leader N. Janardhan Reddy said.

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