Jagan Confronts Naidu On Note-For-Vote Tapes

The final day of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly's monsoon session saw ruckus being created as Opposition Leader and YSR Congress Party President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy sought to know whether the voice in the audio tapes related to the Revanth Reddy note-for-vote case belonged to the Leader of the House and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

Naidu should respond on the case, the Opposition leader insisted repeatedly. He also tried to fix the entire ruling party by saying that the TDP's Telangana MLA from Kodangal Revanth Reddy had offered money to the Anglo-Indian MLA Stephenson at Naidu's behest.

Jagan accused the Chief Minister of being directly involved in the note-for-vote case which involved paying out Rs. 150 crores to buy about eight legislators.

Losing his cool at the remarks of the treasury benches that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had called him up to bring up this issue, Jagan offered to resign if that was proved. Otherwise, he said, Naidu should resign from his Chief Minister post.

This further added to the impasse and mayhem. Despite efforts by the ministers and members of the ruling party, the House witnessed a war-like situation as both sides indulged in a verbal fight on the note-for-vote case and corruption charges.

Jagan also found fault with Naidu for abstaining from the proceedings and confining himself to his chambers, to escape the embarrassment, and Speaker K Siva Prasad Rao with belittling the Opposition members by taking unilateral decisions in the House.

Information Minister P Raghunath Reddy swung into action accusing Jagan of having the "patent on corruption", and added that Jagan was noted for making a mockery of democracy.

Labour Minister K Acchennaidu too criticized Jagan saying that he had no moral right to talk against the Chief Minister who was striving for the development of the new State.

Similarly, another minister R Kishore Babu, ruling party member D Narendra and Whip K Srinivasulu reprimanded Jagan for continuing his tirade against Naidu in the note-for-vote scam.