Stating that the BJP would never forge an alliance with the TDP again, its Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said on Tuesday that the chances of the TDP winning the elections were bleak and most of its candidates might lose their deposits.
‘Heights of corruption’
“Corruption has reached its peak during the TDP rule. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) found fault with the cost escalations in the construction of irrigation projects,” he said while addressing the media here.
Defending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks against the State government, he said the CAG’s report proved that the irrigation projects were used as “ATMs.”
“The CAG found that additional payments of ₹1,853.08 crore were made to the contractors. Of the amount, ₹1,332 crore was towards delay in completing the project. Did the State government predict the delay and make the payment in advance?” he asked.
Accusing the government of diverting the additional funds to the TDP by way of party fund from the contractors, Mr. Rao said the State government favoured the contractors in steel procurement and land acquisition for the dump area, besides waiving the customs duty on equipment import.
“Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had said that he would consider ‘Somavaram’ (Monday) as Polavaaram (a day for the Polavaram project). But now, we have come to know that it is ‘sommuvaram’ (a day to make money),” he said.
Mr. Rao further alleged that the State government directly allocated the Handri-Neeva and Vamsadhara projects to benamis so as to simplify the procedure for kickbacks.
“Projects such as Veligonda are not getting completed as the government has not seen it as a money spinner,” he said.
Exuding confidence that the BJP would strengthen its base in the State in the days to come, he said the anti-incumbency factor, coupled with the good work done by the Central government, would help the party nominees win the election.
