TDP questions Sonia, Rahul Gandhi's silence on illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh

Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu today wondered why Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi were silent on the mining mafia's activities in Andhra Pradesh, even as they spoke about Vedanta and other projects.

"Sonia Gandhi is now talking about the mining mafia in Karnataka, while Rahul says he will fight like a solider for tribals in Orissa. Why don't they do the same in Andhra Pradesh where the mining mafia is plundering national wealth with the active support of YS Rajasekhara Reddy's family," Naidu said at a press conference in Hyderabad.

The TDP chief referred to the mining leases issued to Jindal, Ras-al-Khaimah and also Gali Janardhana Reddy (Karnataka tourism minister) in Andhra Pradesh by the previous Rajasekhara Reddy government.

"The Congress is fighting against the illegal mining by Janardhana Reddy in Karnataka but here it is helping him loot national wealth. Why are Sonia and Rahul Gandhi not talking about this?," he asked.

Stating that the TDP had been relentlessly fighting against the large-scale corruption indulged in by Reddy and his family for the last six years, Naidu asked how Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy could build a mammoth mansion, that rivalled the White House, on a sprawling 31-acre site in Bangalore.

"In 2004, the YSR family wanted to sell off its property to clear its debts. Now, it is worth over Rs one lakh crore. All this is public money that has been brazenly looted by Rajasekhara Reddy," Naidu alleged.

Recalling that the TDP brought out separate booklets listing YSR's corruption, the TDP chief said they had enough documentary evidence to prove their allegations.

"Is there no law in the country to crackdown on such forces," he questioned.

Referring to reports in a section of media quoting Sonia as saying that she was well aware of the gross corrupt deeds of Rajasekhara Reddy, the TDP chief wondered how she could allow such blatant looting of public money.

When his attention was drawn to counter allegations being made against him by Jagan and his followers, Naidu said, "YSR instituted 22 inquiries against me. Some of the inquiry committees were headed by the present chief minister K Rosaiah. But they could not prove a single charge against me."

Former Union minister Ummareddy Venkateswarlu was also present on the occasion.