PNS|Vijayawada
Former Minister and YSRCP MLA, Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani), has called upon TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu to address the recent notices from the Income Tax department regarding alleged kickbacks and corrupt payments related to the construction of the temporary capital at Amaravati.
Speaking at a press conference held at the party’s central office on Friday, Nani asserted that Chandrababu Naidu had purportedly received a bribe of Rs 118 crore through his personal secretary. Nani urged Naidu to clarify his stance on these notices, emphasising the need for transparency if Naidu is indeed sincere.
Nani demanded that Naidu confirm whether he had received these notices and whether the reports published in an English daily were accurate. He posed a direct question to Naidu, urging him to address the allegations of kickbacks in the Amaravati capital construction honestly.
The former minister highlighted that an English daily had explicitly exposed corruption allegations against the TDP chief, while strangely, media outlets aligned with the TDP appeared to be downplaying or ignoring this news. Nani asserted that if Naidu had no involvement in the notices issued by the IT department, he should unequivocally condemn the allegations. Nani argued that Naidu’s silence suggests complicity in the corruption.
Nani noted that the sum of Rs 118 crore might be just the tip of the iceberg, hinting at the possibility of more undisclosed corrupt payments connected to the capital construction during the TDP’s tenure.
The former minister accused Chandrababu Naidu of exploiting the state during his five-year term from 2014 to 2019 and criticized his attempt to return to power through alliances with other political parties. Nani pointed out that Naidu’s rule had left Andhra Pradesh burdened with debt and little else.
Furthermore, Nani pointed out that not a single promise made by Chandrababu Naidu prior to the 2014 elections had been fulfilled, branding it a betrayal of the people. Nani expressed skepticism about Naidu’s new “Bhavishutuku Guarantee” plan, considering it a ploy to deceive the people of Andhra Pradesh once more.
Recalling Naidu’s past behaviour, Nani described him as a “Use and Throw” politician, accusing him of opportunistically forming and breaking alliances with parties such as BJP, JanaSena, and the Left. Nani emphasized that Naidu’s history of betraying allies and associates extended beyond politics to even his own family and acquaintances. Nani concluded by asserting that Naidu’s attempts to form alliances with those he had previously deceived would not succeed, invoking the legacy of the legendary TDP founder, Dr. NTR, whose spirit would, according to Nani, haunt Chandrababu Naidu.
