In a new twist to the ongoing ‘cash-for-vote’ row, Andhra Pradesh Ministers on Wednesday said that tapping of phones of N. Chandrababu Naidu and others would have serious ramifications and it could even pose a life threat to the Chief Minister.
At a media conference here on Wednesday, Labour Minister K. Atchannaidu and his Irrigation counterpart Devineni Umamaheswara Rao said that the ‘phone-tapping issue’ had been taken to the notice of the Union Government, as the case was dealing with the Central Telegraph Act.
“If the movements of Mr. Naidu, who has Z-category security, are leaked through phone tapping, at a time when the TDP Government is dealing with red sanders smugglers with an iron hand, it could pose a threat to his life. We are anxious about it,” Mr.Atchannaidu said.
Terming the ‘cash-for-vote’ issue as a conspiracy being hatched by the TRS and YSRC to malign Mr. Naidu’s popularity, he said: “We have evidence . The release of audio tapes aims at sidetracking the phone-tapping issue,” he said.
He further claimed that the YSRC has contacts with red sanders smugglers. The phone-tapping episode had exposed that MLA Elvis Stephenson was related to Anil Kumar, brother-in-law of YSRC chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
Mr. Uma alleged that Mr. Jaganmohan and the TRS leaders were hatching a conspiracy against Mr. Naidu to destabilise his government and hamper the development of AP. “We have been patient as we want Telugu people in both the States to remain united, but TRS leaders are hell-bent on wiping out the opposition in Telangana. With this intent, they resorted to phone tapping, which is a serious violation against the freedom of another government,” he said.
If Mr. Naidu movements are leaked, when the TDP Govt. is dealing with red sanders smugglers with an iron hand, it could pose a threat to his life
K. Atchannaidu,Labour Minister
