The final day of Andhra Pradesh Assembly’s Monsoon session saw ruckus as Opposition Leader and YSRCP President YS Jaganmohan Reddy sought to know whether the voice in the audio tapes related to ‘cash for vote scam’ belongs to leader of the house and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Losing his cool at he remarks of the treasury benches, Jagan Reddy offered to resign if it is proved that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao rang him up in this regard. Otherwise, Chandrababu Naidu should resign to his chief minister post, he challenged. This further added to the impasse and mayhem. Jagan Reddy took on the chief minister by repeatedly seeking a reply and an explanation whether the voice in the audio tapes proved by the forensic lab is of him or not.
Despite efforts by the ministers and members of the ruling party, the house witnessed a war like situation as both sides indulged in a verbal fight on cash scam and corruption charges. Naidu should respond on the cash scam, the opposition leader insisted. He further tried to fix the ruling party by saying that TDP’s Telangna MLA from Kodangal Revanth Reddy offered money to the Anglo Indian MLA Stephenson at Naidu’ behest. Jagan Reddy found fault with Chandrababu for abstaining from the proceedings and confining to his chambers, only to escape the embarrassment.
Information Minister P Raghunath Reddy swung into action accusing Jagan Reddy of getting “patent on corruption” and added that Jagan is noted for making a mockery of democracy. Labour Minister K Acchen Naidu too did so and criticized that Jagan Reddy has no moral right to talk against the chief minister who is striving for development of the new state. In similar way, another minister R Kishore Babu, other ruling party members D Narendra, Whip K Srinivasulu, reprimanded Jagan Reddy for continuing his tirade against Naidu in the cash for vote scam.
Taking exception to the leader of the house remaining irresponsible by staying away from the house, Jagan Reddy accused the Chief Minister of directly involving in the cash scam episode which involved Rs. 150 crore to buy about eight legislators. Jagan also charged that the Speaker K Sivaprasad Rao was belittling the opposition members by taking unilateral decisions in the house.(NSS)