Hyderabad: After some Telugu Desam leaders, I-T raids are now being mounted on close associates of AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. TD leaders now fear that the I-T sleuths may land at their doorsteps at any time or target “higher-ups” in the party and administration. Mr Naidu has been saying that the Centre was targeting him and his son Nara Lokesh, and they were prepared to face anything.
The series of I-T raids started with the one on Mr A. Revanth Reddy, a former TD leader who joined the Congress, at Hyderabad. Later, ED officials reportedly raided the Sujana Group of former Union minister Y.S. Chowdary, a close associate of the AP CM. I-T officials raided the firms of TD leaders Bidam Masthan Rao and Kandukur TD legislator Pothula Rama Rao.
While TD leaders alleged that these raids were political vendetta, BJP leaders said it was the duty of the I-T officials to investigate in case of fraud. In Telangana state, I-T men had conducted raids on TRS leaders also.
TRS MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy’s house was raided besides that of a former DGP, who was once a close associate of Mr Naidu. TRS leader Vijayarama Rao’s son Srinivasa Kalyan Rao’s group were also raided.
When I-T men are conducting raids on TD MP C.M. Ramesh residence at Hyderabad he was in Delhi. CPI leader S. Sudhakar Reddy had gone to meet Mr Ramesh to discuss seat adjustments. When he came to know about the raids, the CPI leader said it was political vendetta.
