Chandrababu Naidu Hit Me: Pocharam Srinivas Reddy

Telangana Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy alleged in the Telangana State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that in the united Andhra Pradesh days, then Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had hit him once.

When TDP MLA Revanth Reddy questioned the government on the Nizam Sugar Factory privatization, Pocharam stated that when he was in the TDP in the days of united Andhra Pradesh, he had once spoken about the Nizam Sugar Factory privatization issue, opposing it, with Naidu, who he claimed hit him for it.

Pocharam said, "When I opposed the Nizam Sugar Factory's privatization many years back, Naidu got irritated and slapped me on my quadriceps in the presence of a few other ministers and IAS officers at his residence. Naidu announced his decision and went out. I haven't spoken about this incident till now. A few minutes later, Naidu sent his gunman and asked me to come with him in his car, and said sorry. But I said that I had gotten hurt not by the slap but by his decision."

Intervening, Congress deputy floor leader T Jeevan Reddy asked Pocharam why he didn't tender his resignation when Naidu slapped him.

Reacting sharply, Pocharam asked Reddy why the latter didn't tender his own resignation when the then United Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy made it clear in the Legislative Assembly that he didn't give a single rupee to the Telangana region.

When Reddy rose to reply to the question, the Speaker didn't give him a chance, and asked Revanth Reddy to continue his speech.

Continuing his speech, Revanth Reddy asked Pochram whether the latter would tell such experiences after some time about the present Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, too.

Simultaneously, the Congress MLAs rushed towards the podium demanding that the Speaker give a chance to Jeevan Reddy to speak on the Kiran Kumar Reddy issue. But the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

After the House reassembled, Revanth Reddy continued his speech demanding Pocharam own the responsibility for the closure of the Nizam Sugar Factory. He also demanded hat the Minister to take up the responsibility of reopening the factory.