Cash-for-vote: TDP-TRS slug fest grows shriller

Amid the cash-for-vote scam triggering bitter wranglings between the ruling parties in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Anti-Corruption Bureau sleuths today searched the residences of TDP MLA Revanth Reddy and two others arrested in connection with the case.
As political bitterness soared, as many as 50 FIRs were registered by the Andhra Pradesh Police against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, based on complaints by TDP workers over alleged illegal tapping of the phones of his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu.
Adding to the woes of Naidu, YSR Congress, the main opposition in AP, demanded his resignation and accused him of "whipping up regional passions" between the two states born out of bifurcation of the composite Andhra Pradesh state a year back.

Three teams of ACB sleuths conducted simultaneous searches at the residences of Reddy, Sebastian Harry and Uday Simha, all arrested earlier this month, and seized one computer CPU from the MLA's home, ACB Deputy Superintendent Ashok Kumar said.
Reddy and the two others were arrested on May 31 while allegedly trying to hand over Rs 50 lakh as bribe to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson to vote for TDP nominee in the Telangana Legislative Council polls.
The bribe for vote allegation and audio tapes aired by local channels in connection with it have spawned a no-hold-barred spat between leaders of TDP and TRS, in power in the Andra Pradesh and Telangana respectively.

Based on complaints by TDP workers accusing the Telangana government of illegally tapping Naidu's phone, cases were registered under different sections of IPC and relevant provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, police said today.
Joining the issue, YSR Congress asked Naidu to come clean on the authenticity of the tapes and prove his innocence.
"Ever since the scam broke out, Chandrababu Naidu did not condemn it nor did he categorically state that the voice recorded in the phone was not his, instead he has been giving inflammatory speeches and whipping regional passions. Instead he should quit and prove his innocence by facing an inquiry," party leader Botsa Satyanarayana told reporters here.