“I challenge Mr Naidu, the next minute after counting I will submit my papers to the party high command and the Governor if we get fewer seats than the TD,” Mr Rosaiah said at a press conference here, sounding supremely confident after facing a barrage of Opposition fire over the past two days. “You (Mr Naidu) take time to decide your course of action in the event of TD losing respond to my challenge.”
The Telugu Desam refused to pick up the gauntlet. Its party president, Mr Chandrababu Naidu said Mr Rosaiah’s challenge was irrelevant since it was made on an electoral issue, and not on the Obulapuram irregularities which the Opposition has been hyping. “We are ready to accept your challenge but we believe that counter-attack strategy cannot be used where issues of public interest are involved,” Mr Naidu said.
Reacting to Mr Naidu’s allegation that he was on the payroll of the Obulapuram Mining Company of Mr Gali Janardhan Reddy, the Chief Minister said the TD had been repeating these allegations despite the confidence reposed in the Congress by the people in the 2009 elections. Realising that his party is again way behind the Congress in the GHMC also, Mr Naidu is upset, he said.
“Only people who are mentally deranged will talk like this,” the Chief Minister said, and advised the TD leader to hold his tongue.
Mr Rosaiah said his ordering a CBI probe into the Obulapuram mining speaks volumes about his sincerity and unbiased approach. He referred to the BJP, Left and a section of the media carrying reports about the corrupt practices of Mr Naidu and ridiculed the latter for not coming forward to prove his sincerity.
Mr Naidu had shot off a letter to the Chief Minister on Sunday night demanding an end to illegal mining in the state.
Mr Naidu has also enclosed a copy of the report of the Central Empowered Committee which was appointed by the Supreme Court regarding illegal mining.
“You have remarked that you will obtain a copy of the report for your perusal if necessary. I am herewith enclosing the same copy with the hope that its contents will convince you about my argument on the urgency of action against illegal mining,” he further added.
Making light of the challenge, senior TD leader, Mr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, said, “We don’t mind whether Mr Rosaiah remains as CM or quits.”
Another senior party leader Mr Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu found no meaning to the Chief Minister’s challenge as winning more number of seats would not be an achievement in view of the number of MLAs and MPs from the Congress being more in the GHMC area.
The TD also found the challenge in violation of the the model code of conduct. Mr Janardhan Reddy and Mr Srihari said that Mr Rosaiah violated the poll code by making political statements from the Secretariat.
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