YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to London has, apparently, stirred up a hornet’s nest with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu levelling serious allegations against him saying that the Opposition leader’s visit was “only to bring hawala money.”
Reacting bitterly to the allegation, the YSRCP said it was extremely degrading and unbecoming of the Chief Minister.
The BJP joined the issue seeking to know the “reasons behind the Ministers’ private visit abroad.”
During a teleconference with the party leaders on Friday, Mr. Naidu alleged that Mr. Jagan was on London visit with the sole objective of bringing hawala money.
“None will go on foreign visits when elections are fast approaching. What else could be the reason behind his visit?” he asked.
‘Wrong surveys’
Mr. Naidu said the YSRCP was attributing motives to others for its wrongdoings. It was tricking the people with wrong surveys. The YSRCP leaders stand in the first place for including fake voters, and they lodge complaints with the EC. “It is like a thief calling others a thief,” Mr. Naidu observed.
YSRCP MLA and PAC chairman B. Rajendranath Reddy said the comments were in a bad taste.
If a person of the stature of a Chief Minister stooped to such a level, it was difficult to comment, he said. “The whole world knows that Mr. Jagan’s daughter is studying there. In fact, Mr. Naidu himself had tweeted his congratulations when she gained an admission there. Mr. Jagan was on a padayatra for over one year and would be away from the family for three more months,” he said.
“Mr. Naidu visited foreign countries more than the External Affairs Minister. What does it mean?” he asked.
At a press conference, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao pointed out that Mr. Naidu and his Cabinet colleagues went on private visits many times.
The Chief Minister questioned the timing of the Opposition leader’s visit to London. “Does it mean the ruling party has already made arrangements for election expenditure? The Ministers went abroad umpteen times,” he said.
When asked why he was responding when the allegations were against the YSRCP leader, Mr. Rao said anyone could question in a political system.