Telangana Home Minister Naini Narsimha Reddy said on Wednesday that the police had audio records of an alleged conversation between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and the nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson. However, an unperturbed Telugu Desam Party dismissed the remark as part of “conspiratorial politics” by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the YSR Congress.
The latest assertion from the Home Minister comes three days after TDP MLA A. Revanth Reddy was caught by the Anti-Corruption Bureau while paying an alleged bribe of Rs. 50 lakh to the nominated MLA from the Anglo-Indian community for supporting the TDP nominee in the Legislative Council elections on June 1.
Mr. Narasimha Reddy, who was in Hanamkonda to attend a private function, spoke briefly to the media. He said there was growing public demand that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu should be made the accused number one. “But law will take its own course,” he said.
He described Mr. Revanth Reddy as small fry and a non-serious politician and claimed that panic- stricken TDP leaders had approached the arrested MLA not to reveal Mr. Chandrababu Naidu’s name during questioning.
Telangana TDP president L. Ramana took exception to Mr. Reddy’s comments. “How can the Home Minister make such comments when the investigation was underway?” He alleged that the comments were part of the “conspiracy” of TRS government. “The TDP will not be cowed down and will continue to fight,” he said. ACB sources said a petition would be filed in the court on Thursday, seeking the MLA’s custody and that of two other persons.
Growing public demand to make Chandrababu Naidu accused number one, says Home Minister
