Naidu should be open to CBI inquiry into assets: Narayan

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Mysore, Nov 18: Lok Satta party president Jayaprakash
Narayan today urged Telegu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu
to prepare himself to face CBI inquiry into his assets,
instead of levelling charges that Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan
Reddy and Congress have "ganged up" to target him.
Facing the CBI inquiry "is an opportunity to prove (his)
innocence and once for all he can bury charges against him,"
Narayan told PTI on the sidelines of India Urban Conference at
Infosys campus here.
"Public representatives should be prepared to face
investigation in larger public interest," Narayan said.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court yesterday directed the CBI
and Enforcement Directorate to conduct an investigation into
the assets of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who dubbed the
petition as a "malicious attempt" to defame him.
The court gave the order based on the petition filed on
October 17 by YSR Congress honorary president and Pulivendula
MLA Y S Vijaya.
Naidu's TDP had charged that Vijaya's petition was part of
a "witchhunt" launched by the Congress party in collusion with
Jaganmohan Reddy.
Regarding Naidu's allegation, Narayan said, "Both Congress
and YSR Congress may have common interest to target Naidu, but
it is irrelevant to the Indian citizens".
"Let us not make this as a battle between Naidu and Jagan.
It is a bettle between the people and the corrupt," he added.
TDP Politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu had alleged
yesterday that the petition was filed as part of a political
conspiracy after Jagan had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and senior Congress leaders last month.
On the issue of Naidu allegedly favouring former Karnataka
minister Gali Janardhan Reddy in giving mining licence during
his tenure as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Narayan said
giving license to a person or a company does not make a
government corrupt.
"There is a difference between a bad government decision
and corruption. Naidu might have taken a bad decision. Bad
decisions does not necessarily mean corruption," he argued.
However, there should be a thorough investigation into the
issuance of license in light of corruption allegations, he
said.