BJP dares Congress to seek fresh mandate in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh BJP general secretary N Ramachander Rao told reporters that bureaucrats and ministers in N Kirankumar Reddy government are shirking responsibility and indulged in levelling allegations against each other concerning the cases related to Jagan, son of former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

As many as 26 GOs (government orders) had been issued by different departments under the erstwhile Y S Rajasekhara Reddy government to "help" businesses of Jagan, which are now become contentious and questionable, he said.

"It was not a matter of an individual, but a collective responsibility of the council of ministers," Rao said, adding that the ministers who had not issued any government orders cannot escape from the responsibility either.

The ministers in the present Kirankumar Reddy government (are) trading charges for corrupt acts, while bureaucrats are saying they merely followed the instructions of the concerned ministers, he said.

Demanding resignation of the entire Cabinet, Rao said the ruling Congress government has lost "moral right" to continue in power and Congress must seek a fresh mandate in the wake of "volatile" political situation.

Referring to recent arrest of IAS officer Srilakshmi in connection with a case concerning the Obulapuram Mining Company, Rao said the officer revealed that she had signed and cleared the file at the behest of a minister.

While excise minister Mopidevi Venkatramana Rao, who was arrested in a graft case involving Jagan, says that he had signed the file on the direction of former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, he said.

On June 12 bypoll to Parakal constituency among 18 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in the state, Rao said his party would win comfortably.