The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has stoutly denied that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu was arrested out of political vendetta. The party also refuted Mr. Naidu’s remarks that there was no mention of his name in the FIR nor notices were served on him. The YSRCP also saw no reason to train its guns against Mr. Naidu or the TDP, a spent force, what it called.
Addressing a press conference at party office at Tadepalli near in Vijayawada on September 9, YSRCP State general secretary and Andhra Pradesh Government Advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said that there was no rhyme and reason to say the arrest is out of vengeance against Mr. Naidu, who has grown old. “The TDP has become a “spent force,” and deviated from the political path and lost its relevance. The TDP has no clear cut agenda. Nor was it fighting on public issues now, nor addressed while in the government. The TDP might feel it is a strong Opposition and trying to keep the people in the same illusion. In reality it was not so, and the YSRCP government has no reason to sideline the TDP out of vengeance as claimed by them,” he asserted.
On the other hand, Mr. Ramakrikshna Reddy said, the YSRCP and Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy have people’s blessings and positive agenda. It is being proved repeatedly.
Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said that the former Chief Minister was the mastermind, key person and beneficiary in the alleged Skill Development Corporation, a scam. An FIR was filed on December 9, 2021. The SIT of CID was inquiring into it since then. Even before that the GST DG Intelligence, in the year 2017-18 found that GST was evaded by forming shell companies to root the money from Skill Development Corporation.
The State government wanted the law to take its own course. There is incriminating evidence to prove that Mr. Naidu was a beneficiary in the skill Development scam. The investigation was going on for the last two years. How can Mr. Naidu say that he should not be questioned?
Mr. Naidu should understand that he cannot expect immunity from prosecution and punishment because of his age. “There were many septuagenarians who were prosecuted in the country. He has to fight it out and prove his innocence instead of resorting to cheap political gimmicks. Gone are those days that the people would rally behind him with such tricks. He should cooperate with the inquiring agencies,” he added.
