NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu has asked his partymen to shun his younger brother and former legislator Nara Ramamoorthy Naidu.
He also cautioned his sibling to stay away from active politics.
Naidu's diktat to the party cadres came at his interaction with party leaders at NTR Trust Bhavan -- TDP's state headquarters - in Hyderabad on Saturday evening.
Naidu also issued a stern warning to his brother not to tour Chandragiri constituency in Chittoor district without the permission of state TDP leadership.
Naidu asked the party cadres and local leaders to dissociate themselvesfrom the rally that Ramamoorthy intended to take out in Chandragiri on Sunday.
Ramamoorthy Naidu was elected to the legislative assembly on a TDP ticket in 1994 polls from Chandragiri constituency, which was earlier represented by Chandrababu Naidu. But, in the 1999 assembly polls, he lost to Congress rival Galla Aruna Kumari by a slender margin of 2,271 votes. He lives in Tirupati town.
Party sources explained that Naidu was determined to make his brother stay away from politics, even in Chandragiri constituency, in the wake of earlier controversies surrounding Ramamoorthy Naidu. As a legislator during 1994-99, Ramamoorthy Naidu figured prominently in several alleged scams.
Opposition parties linked his name to alleged illicit liquor trade when total prohibition was in force in the state. He was also allegedly involved in collection of cyclone funds after the 1996 cyclone in coastal Andhra. There were also allegations about his backing for those involved in smuggling of red sandalwood in Chittoor district. Recently, his supporters allegedly diverted the rice meant for Food for Work scheme.
"Ramamoorthy Naidu has been a source of embarrassment for his elder brother since he tended to use Chandrababu Naidu's name to promote his business. He has been doing a lot of irregular things, exploiting his brother's name. He promoted a pharmaceuticals unit for undertaking contract manufacturing for a leading firm in Srikakulam district. The AP State Pollution Control Board, however, ordered closure of the unit two months ago since local people were agitated as it caused lot of pollution," a party leader pointed out.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
