Former Anantapur MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy has alleged that YSR Congress Party leaders were coercing him to join their party by “dubious means”.
At a press conference here on Thursday, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) strongman said nearly 40 buses belonging to him were seized at various places in the State and 15 of them were impounded and grounded for the past 20 days in Anantapur district alone. “Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is using official machinery to target me as there was nothing to proceed against me in any manner,” said Mr. Diwakar Reddy.
Despite a tribunal upholding their appeal and giving directions to the Road Transport Authority (RTA) to release all their vehicles, six of them were being kept at Anantapur RTC Complex, two at Hindupur, two at RTO Checkpost, one at Penukonda, and four at Guntakal, Mr. Diwakar Reddy alleged showing the papers related to the order.
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The former MP said he was running the buses for the past four decades, but the government was forcing the RTA officers to file several cases on the same bus at different locations by different officers. Mr. Diwakar Reddy said that by Thursday evening he would send a legal notice to Vara Prasad, an MVI in Anantapur RTA, for illegally targeting his buses. “I have decided to personally file cases against eight such officers in Anantapur so that when they make rounds of the judicial courts, they would stop obeying ‘wrongful’ orders from their higher-ups,” he said.
Asked if he was criticising Mr. Jagan Reddy as he wanted to join the BJP, Mr. Diwakar Reddy said there was no cases against him and did not want any political post, hence was not cosying up to any party and would remain in the TDP only. “I have learnt that I will be targeted by the government by sending me notices on mining leases in 1600 acres I hold, I will take it head-on when I receive them,” he said.