Focus on development of Andhra, Telangana: Venkaiah Naidu

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday advised the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to focus on development and not on controversies.

The union minister told reporters in Nellore in Andhra Pradesh that the two Telugu states should compete in development and avoid controversies.

Finding fault with the attitude of the chief ministers of both the states, he said it would be better if they focus on people's issues, leaving the controversies to the law.

It was not proper to deride the common governor of the two Telugu states, he added.

He was referring to the comments made by some ministers of Andhra Pradesh while criticizing Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan.

The union minister said the ministers should exercise restraint on the issue.

Some ministers of Andhra have bitterly criticised Narasimhan while accusing him of acting as per the wishes of the Telangana government.

The two neighbours are locked in a bitter row over the cash-for-vote scam allegedly involving Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA A. Revanth Reddy, who was caught by Telangana's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while trying to bribe nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson to induce him to vote for the TDP-BJP candidate in the Telangana Legislative Council elections.

An audio tape of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu's purported telephonic conversation with Stephenson also surfaced on June 7, leading to tension between the two states.

The Andhra government has charged Telangana with tapping the phone of Naidu, his ministers and senior officials. It has also sought intervention of the central government to hand over powers to maintain law and order in common capital Hyderabad to the governor.