As YSCP leaders cried foul over what they called a secret meeting between Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar and BJP leaders, Rajya Sabha MP Sujana Chowdary clarified that there was nothing secret about their meeting.
Sujana Chowdary stated that there was nothing wrong in meeting Ramesh Kumar. “It was a casual meeting. I have been staying in Park Hyatt for some days. I keep meeting political leaders and businessmen. I don’t know why YSRCP leaders are making a hue and cry over the CCTV footage. Ramesh Kumar is not a criminal. Being close friends, we can meet whenever we want and wherever we want. There is no rule that bars us from meeting each other. I don’t need to meet anyone secretly to conduct. Meeting people is part of my daily routine and business.”
Earlier, Sujana Chowdhary strongly opposed the removal of Ramesh Kumar as SEC and hailed the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s directive to the Andhra Pradesh government to reinstate Ramesh Kumar.
“Jagan had brought shame to the AP government and dragged the prestige of the state to the streets. Where was the necessity to bring an amendment through the back-door (in the form of an ordinance) to change the term and eligibility of the SEC? The Jagan government received a massive mandate of 151 seats in the Assembly. The strong mandate was not given to disregard the constitutional framework and democratic norms. It is high time Jagan realised that his government should work within the constitutional framework and that his government cannot stretch beyond its limitations and should uphold the dignity of judiciary. He should come out of his monarch mindset and focus on the welfare of the state. At least now, he should put politics aside and seriously work towards putting the wheels of the economy on the right path,” Sujana Chowdary had advised.
In an act of political vendetta, Ramesh Kumar was removed as SEC after he put off civic body polls citing Coronavirus. The Andhra Pradesh government promulgated an ordinance which had cut short the tenure of SEC to three years from five years and in a tearing hurry appointed former Tamil Nadu judge Kangaraju as SEC.
The move was challenged in the AP High Court which had reinstated Ramesh Kumar as SEC. On it’s part, the Jagan government had filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court which had observed that the government cannot play with constitutional functionaries while turning down the plea to stay HC order reinstating Ramesh Kumar. Currently, the case is pending in the SC.
Earlier in the day, TDP politburo member Varla Ramaiah on Tuesday stated that there was nothing wrong if Ramesh Kumar met BJP RS member Sujana Chowdary and former minister Kamineni Srinivas at Park Hyatt in Hyderabad. “Is Sujana Chowdhary or Kamineni Srinivas anti-social elements. Are they terrorists? What is wrong if Ramesh Kumar met the two leaders,” Ramaiah questioned.
Further, he noted that Ramesh Kumar could have met the senior BJP leaders to apprise the current situation in Andhra Pradesh to their central leadership with the Jagan government repeatedly undermining the court verdicts and constitutional bodies. “How did Sakshi TV, the mouthpiece of Jagan’s YSRCP, get hold of the CCTV footage? How did the CCTV footage from Park Hyatt leak? Obviously, it is a selective leak which is a breach of privacy. Further, there are no cases against the three people in question who had a private meeting in Park Hyatt. They are not terrorists. They are not accused, no criminal cases are pending against them. So, what is wrong if they meet,” Ramaiah questioned the YSRCP leaders.
