TDP leader accuses Andhra CM of 'wasting' public money on personal cases

TDP politburo member Bonda Umamaheswara Rao lashed out at the Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and accused him of "wasting" public money on paying advocates to fight his personal cases

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) politburo member, Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, on Tuesday lashed out at the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and accused him of "wasting" public money on paying advocates to fight his personal cases.

While interacting with the media persons at the TDP headquarters, Bonda said, "Any State Government engages private advocates and spends public money for the interest of its own people like fighting for irrigation projects. But after Mr Jagan had come to power in the State, he is paying crores of public money to the advocates to argue CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) cases pending against him or his family members, including some petty cases, Bonda Uma said.

The TDP politburo member also said that no other State Government in the country has engaged the services of private advocates to argue government cases.

"An NGO challenged the Green Tribunal order on the Polavaram project before the Supreme Court. The State Government engaged the services of the senior advocate, Mr Abhishek Singhvi, but since he could not take up the case, the services of Mr Venkataramaiah, another senior advocate, were engaged on a war footing basis. Even the apex court expressed surprise at the style of functioning of the State Government," Bonda said.

The TDP leader further said that the Andhra government has been pulled up multiple times by both the High Court and the Supreme Court.

"The private advocates appointed by Mr Jagan charged Rs 1 lakh per hour. The Supreme Court also said that notices have to be served on the state seeking an explanation for spending so much of public money like this. How many times both the High Court and the Supreme Court had pulled up the State Government, but it has not learnt any lesson till now, Bonda said.

The TDP leader also demanded a white paper to be published on the number of cases won by the state government.

"A white paper should be published on the number of cases the State Government has won till now by engaging the services of private advocates. What are the Advocate General, Mr Sriram and Additional Advocate General, Mr Sudhakar doing? Another senior advocate, Mr Mukul Rohatgi, was engaged by paying a whooping Rs 5 cr only to damage Amaravathi, Bonda further stated.

The TDP politburo member also asked how many cases have been filed for the rights of the state.

"The TDP strongly condemns this kind of wastage of public money by the State Government. Why no senior advocate has been appointed to argue the state's rights mentioned in the Reorganisation Act? What happened to the assets due from the neighbouring state of Telangana as per the Reorganisation Act? Which cases have been filed to fight for the rights of the State?" Bonda asked.