Naidu Rushes to Vijayawada After ACB Court Order in Cash-for-Vote Scam

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu called off a function in which Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda is to take part and is rushing back to Vijayawada.

According to sources, the Chief Minister of residual Andhra Pradesh is heading back after an ACB Court ordered a re-investigation of cash-for-Vote scam in which he is one of the suspects.

Sources are linking the CM’s sudden return to his home state to ABC Court re-investigation of the case. Naidu will travel to Bengaluru from Tirupati and is expected to take a flight to Vijayawada.

Last year, during the council elections, the TDP, which did not have adquate numbers to get its candidate elected, tried to bribe TRS MLAs. As part of the plan, Anglo-Indian MLA Elvys Stephenson was approached.

TDP MLA Revanth Reddy approached with an offer to pay several crore and o May 30 last year, Revanth Reddy and party functionary Sebastian went to Stephenson’s house and paid him Rs 50 lakh. This was caught in a sting operation. Later, Chandrababu spoke to Stephenson to goad him to support the TDP candidate.

However, after some belligerent posturing, Chandrababu shifted his base to Vijayawada post-haste. Later, there have been allegations that Chandrababu colluded with the TRS to go slow on the case. The Opposition YSRCP has all along been accusing Chandrababu of mortgaging the interests of Andhra Pradesh to wriggle out of the case.