Leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council C. Ramachandraiah has demanded that a resolution be moved in the House seeking a CBI inquiry into the alleged purchase of lands in the capital region by those close to TDP Ministers and leaders.
Daring the ruling party members to support the resolution and help the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu emerge with a clean image, Mr. Ramachandraiah cited allegations in a section of the media that those close to Telugu Desam top leaders had prior information about the location of capital.
“Let there be an inquiry if you have nothing to fear. You never revealed capital location information to outsiders to let your own people buy thousands of acres in the capital,” he said.
The reference to capital lands came up during the discussion on motion of thanks to the Governor’s address here on Wednesday when he said that the State Government went against the spirit of federalism and decided the capital location on its own ignoring the recommendation of the Sivaramakrishna committee. “The TDP government violated the direction of the Union government,” he said.
While Minister Narayana refuted the remarks, MLC Payyavula Keshav said the Act did not stipulate that the Centre would decide the location of capital. “ We did not expect Leader of the Opposition to raise allegations carried in a Telugu daily in the House,” he quipped.
He also suggested that the House should adopt a resolution against usurping the powers of presiding officers of Legislature for taking action against legislators defecting to other parties.
Picking holes in the growth claims of the TDP government, he said if the State indeed registered 10.8 growth rate, then the revenue should have grown by 50 per cent. With all this double digit growth claims, the Centre might have decided that AP did not require any urgent help, he quipped.
The State earned a revenue of Rs.39,000 crore in 11 months and it would not translate to a growth rate of not exceeding 6 per cent. “Which is right? Your revenue or growth rate,” he asked.
He took pot-shots at the State government for its failure to make the Centre implement assurances on Revenue deficit, railway zone, implementation of special category status.
