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Ruckus in AP House over Naidu's assets

Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxists members staged a walkout in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday afternoon, after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu turned down a demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into assets acquired by him after his entry into politics.

The chief minister said that the allegations by the Congress leaders against him were nothing new and there was no need for a CBI probe since he had declared his assets to the assembly. He said that God had given him a name and fame and he had no reason to make money. His refusal to agree to a CBI probe irked the Leader of the Opposition and Congress floor leader Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, who led the walkout.

Earlier, replying to a debate, in which charges and counter-charges were traded by ruling party and Opposition members, the chief minister said that the Congress not only levelled such charges against him on the floor of the assembly, but also went to the high court and the Governor.

However, the HC and Governor refused to grant permission for a CBI probe.

Thereafter, the Congress went to the Supreme Court, in appeal against the HC verdict, dismissing the writ petition filed by Dr Rajasekhar Reddy and other Congress leaders. Now, the Congress was raking up the same allegations, Naidu said and rebutted the charges point by point.

He pooh-poohed Congress claims that he had acquired assets of Rs 20 billion or that he owned properties at Hitech City (Madhapur), Hyderabad, Madras, Bangalore and Bhubaneshwar, besides Singapore, Malaysia and other countries.

He also refuted charges that he owned 2,000 acres of land in his constituency - Kuppam -- for development of farming with Israeli technology.

"God has given me everything. I have got only a son and my wife also manages her own business (Heritage Food factory). I have no need to make money or indulge in corruption. My only ambition is to make Andhra Pradesh a model state not only in India, but in the world. I have a one-point programme to work for the development of the state, uplift of the poor and welfare of all sections of people. God has given me this opportunity to work as the CM and I want to do my best for the state," Naidu said.

The chief minister said that after a website [ tehelka.com], "known for sensationalism", put out a story terming him the "richest politician" in India with "brand value of 5 billion dollars and net worth of Rs 20 billion", he had issued a rejoinder, which was publicised. However, the Congress picked up the report to malign his image, he said.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu: richest politician in India?

AP CM Chandrababu Naidu's reply

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