Andhra Pradesh ministers will quit over assets case

Hyderabad: Two cabinet ministers in Andhra Pradesh charged in the YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s disproportionate assets case have submitted their resignation to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy and Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao told reporters Monday after meeting the chief minister that they submitted their resignations in view of the allegations to save the congress party from embarrassment.

They met the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday afternoon against the backdrop of reports that the congress high command has given its nod to Chief Minister for the removal of the tainted ministers.

This was their second meeting with the Chief Minister since last night. The duo, whose names figure in the charge sheets filed by the CBI in the court, had a 45 minute discussion with Kiran Kumar Reddy last night.

The meetings triggered a flurry of activity in the congress party and the government as several ministers and other party leaders rushed to defend their colleagues.

The two ministers announced that they will abide by whatever decision the party high command takes. However Reddy clarified that she had handed over her resignation to the chief minister 20 days ago, the day CBI had named her as accused No. 4 in Jagann’s case alleging that as mining minister she had granted the mining lease to Dalmia Cements as quid pro quo to the Rs 50 crore investments made by the company in Jaganmohan Reddy’s firms.

Dharmana Prasad Rao, who is accused in the same case, told the media outside the camp office that he had submitted his resignation to the chief minister to save the party from any trouble or embarrassment. “I have not done anything wrong. But I bow my head to the decision of the high command”, he said.

CBI has charged Dharmana with the violation of rules in allocation of 22,000 acres of land to Vadarevu and Nizampatanam Ports and Industrial Corridors project (Vanpic) in Guntur and Prakasham districts. The CBI said that as a quid pro quo to the allocation of the land, the promoter of the project Nimmagadda Prasad had made huge investment of Rs854 crore in Jagan’s companies. The then minister for ports and infrastructure M Venkatramanna was arrested by the CBI in May last year in the same case as he was named as accused No. 4. He was also charged with hiding facts from the cabinet.

Nimmagadda Prasad also continues to be in jail along with accused No. 1 Jaganmohan Reddy.

Dharmana Prasad Rao defended the decision of issuing the GO allocating the lands saying it was taken in accordance with the procedure after discussion in the cabinet. “It was not done for any personal benefit. Even the CBI had not said so “, he said.

“The other parties have not been able to understand the case properly”, he said.

Sabita Indra Reddy was also defiant. “I had issued the GO in accordance with the powers vested on me. I have acted in accordance with the procedures and rules”, she said. “My honesty and integrity will protect me”, she said.

However her supporters were angry and shouted slogans against the chief minister and the congress leadership.

Several ministers met the two accused ministers separately. Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, Danam Nagendar, R Venkat Reddy, Raghveera Reddy and Vatti Vasantha Kumar were among those who met the pair and expressed their solidarity.

Another minister, Basavraj Saraiah, created a storm when he alleged that the ministers under YS Rajasekhar Reddy had no freedom. “They had to sign wherever they were asked to”, he said.

Meanwhile the main opposition Telugu Desam party continues to build pressure on the congress party and the chief minister for the immediate removal of the ministers.