The central BJP leadership took serious objections to the sweeping allegations leveled against its state party president Kanna Laxminarayana by YSRCP MP Vijaysai Reddy.
At a video conference with state BJP leaders, Nadda is learnt to have discussed in detail the allegations leveled by Vijaysai Reddy against Kanna and the controversy surrounding the procurement of one lakh rapid testing kits from South Korea at a cost higher than other states. The video-conference was attended by Kanna, Purandreshwari, Ram Madhav and others.
Nadda asked the BJP leaders not to be cowed down by the threats and intimidations of the YSRCP leaders and continue to raise issues that directly or indirectly impact the lives of people. Kanna apprised the situation to the national BJP leader. He informed Nadda that the YSRCP leaders were making personal attacks and wild charges against the BJP and other Opposition leaders for raising just issues. Kanna Laxminaryana put forth the facts of the case before Nadda.
Kanna questioned the state government over the procurement of the South Korean kits at a cost higher than other states. AP government paid Rs 730 plus GST for each kit, while Chhatisgarh bought each kit for Rs 337 + GST. To this, Vijaysai Reddy was quick to react levelling sweeping allegations against Kanna. The YSRCP leader launched a broadside against Kanna accusing him of dancing to the tunes of TDP Chandrababu Naidu and that the BJP leader was making allegations against the YSRCP government without the approval of central leadership. Further, Vijaysai Reddy defamed Kanna saying “Kanna is sold to TDP for Rs 20 crore and BJP MP Sujana Chowdhury acted as a broker in the deal.”
On his part, Kanna threatened to file a criminal defamation against Vijaysai Reddy and challenged the YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP to make the same allegations by swearing before Lord Ganesha in Kanipakam temple. Not to give in to Kanna’s defamation threat, Vijaysai Reddy continued his tirade and repeatedly took on Kanna asking him, “Kanna, I am asking you again. Have you not sold out to Sujana Chowdary.”
Nadda’s intervention as a clear indication that the central leadership is miffed with the YSRCP leaders for making wild allegations against the BJP leaders. After the civic body elections schedule was announced, there was a widespread incidents of violence perpetrated by the ruling dispensation against the opposition parties, mainly the BJP and Jana Sena workers and activists right in the presence of the police, the leaders also informed Nadda.
The BJP leaders told Nadda that the YSRCP leaders were resorting to personal attack because they were questioning the government over underreporting total coronavirus infection figures and under testing of people for possible virus. They also informed the national BJP president that the YSRCP ruling was consistently downplaying the severity of the corona virus pandemic and putting the lives of several people at grave risk.
