YSR Congress Holds Naidu Guilty Of Kodela Death

The YSR Congress Party today alleged that TDP president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was alone responsible for the suicide of former AP Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao as the latter had been humiliated on many fronts by Naidu, and brushed aside Naidu's allegations that the State government had a role in the episode.

It was Naidu who had insulted the former Speaker by not giving him due respect in the Telugu Desam Party, encouraging the latter's rival groups in party activities and not responding to Rao's phone calls, driving Rao to the extreme step. If the call data of Rao's cell phone was examined, the reason for his death would come to light, YSR Congress leaders claimed.

Speaking to mediapersons at separate press conferences, AP Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Nani, Chief Whip G Srikanth Reddy, and PAC member and MLA Ambati Rambabu said, "Chandrababu Naidu went into hiding immediately after hearing the news of Kodela's death, and surfaced only after it was clear that there was no suicide note and that his name was not involved. Once the air was clear, he started playing with sentiments and whipping up passions blaming the State government, and has been carrying out a sustained campaign against the government leveling false and baseless allegations by pumping in the same data through loyal media companies and a handful of spokespersons."

He added, "Naidu had organized a camp for YSRCP victims of Palanadu but did not include Kodela in it, which makes it clear that the question of victimization does not arise. If Kodela was targeted by the YSR Congress, as claimed by the TDP, then why was he not there in the Chalo Atmakuru camp? Kodela was never given his due place in the party events. Most tellingly, Naidu did not meet Kodela in the hospital where he was being treated after the failed suicide attempt. Especially given that Naidu was in the same town to address a meeting."

After losing the 2019 election, Naidu did not meet Kodela even once, and was encouraging and promoting a rival group, which must have surely hurt the aging TDP leader, Rambabu opined.

"Naidu gave Kodela sleepless nights by continuously insulting and rejecting him. He had done the same to the late NTR and to Nandamuri Harikrishna, too, in the past," the MLA alleged.

Rambabu also said that plenty of Kodela's misery was self-inflicted. "Government property, including furniture, was taken away from the Andhra Pradesh Assembly by Kodela when he was Speaker and shifted to his son's showroom. Kodela himself confessed to this. Also, builders and contractors have filed complaints with the police about the corruption of Kodela and his family members, based on which cases were registered," he said.