Hyderabad: The BJP, which is an ally of the Telugu Desam, has decided to maintain silence on the Chandrababu Naidu audio tape issue.
A senior Telangana BJP leader, on condition of anonymity, told DC on Monday that the party’s national leadership had been kept in the loop ever since the Revanth Reddy cash-for-vote scam surfaced on May 31.
On Monday, Union minister Dattatreya refused to talk to the media on the cash-for-vote scam or the Naidu audio tape issue after he met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on a courtesy call.
“The Governor will look after everything, I don’t want to comment,” he said. However, the senior TS BJP leader said, “We have decided not to speak either for or against the issue including on the role of Naidu, let the courts decide the issue.”
He reminded that the BJP national leadership never supported persons involved in corruption related issues, even if some of them were from the BJP. “When Bangaru Laxman, our party president, was found accepting money and caught in sting operations, the national leadership did not spare him and suspended him from the party; similarly, a few BJP MPs who were caught in the cash for question scam were expelled from the party,” the leader explained.
The BJP Telangana state unit leaders are also mulling whether it will be in the interest of party to continue sailing with the TD in the ensuing GHMC polls given the current scenario.
“Unless Naidu and his party come clean on the issue before the GHMC polls, it will be difficult for us to continue the alliance. We cannot face the electorate with a tainted ally,” the leader added.
