Vishnu Kumar Raju’s comments on graft embarrasses BJP brass

Marthi Subrahmanyam
Vijayawada

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader and former MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju’s comments that the Centre should take action as there is a huge amount of black money in Andhra Pradesh on account of the manifold increase in corruption, has set off a political debate in the State.

BJP ex-MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju, in a statement a few days ago, said “The ruling YSRCP leaders have amassed huge stashes of black money. The YSRCP leaders are planning to spend Rs 40 crore in each Assembly constituency in the next elections. The Centre should focus on the massive corruption in AP and take action.”

The statement of Vishu Kumar Raju has sent a signal that the Centre has adopted a soft stand on the YSRCP. Raju’s statement also hinted that the Centre is lenient at the YSRCP’s financial misdeeds.

Even the Opposition TDP did not make such a serious allegation, a TDP leader commented on Vishnu Kumar Raju’s comments.

Vishnu Kumar Raju also questioned the Centre why the Central agencies like income tax, ED and CBI did not conduct raids on the YSRCP leaders in AP though there are allegations of massive corruption. Raju’s comments have put the BJP leadership in an embarrassing position.

The former BJP leader’s comments have come at Vishnu Kumar Raju made the controversial comments at a time when the IT and ED are conducting raids on the TRS leaders in Telangana State. Raju’s comments also led to a debate among people in the wake of IT and ED raids on the TRS leaders. A BJP leader said on the condition of anonymity that Vishnukumar Raju’s comments ambiguously disclosed the YSRCP and BJP nexus and the people of AP understood now.

The BJP leader also pointed out that BJP State president Somu Veerraju had never demanded for IT and ED raids on the corrupt YSRCP leaders.

“Corruption in the government is more rampant in AP than in Telangana State. The Opposition leaders have highlighted much bigger scams involving liquor, sand, and land in AP. The BJP leaders have already apprised the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of this and they were surprised at the massive corruption in AP. But there are no IT, ED or CBI raids on the corrupt leaders. All these highlight the clandestine nexus between the BJP and YSRCP,” a BJP senior leader in East Godavari district said.