Andhra Pradesh Congress today demanded that chief minister Chandrababu Naidu must be made accused number one (A-1) in the Call Money case unearthed in Vijayawada and some other places in Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu should be blamed squarely for women going to the organizers of Call Money for loans as all channels of soft lending meant for them had been closed during TDP regime because of Naidu’s policies, said party’s Andhra Pradesh senior spokesperson Dr N Tulasi Reddy.

He said during the Congress government, members of Self-Help Groups (SHG) used to get loans at low rate of interest under many schemes such as Pavala Vaddi, interest-free loans, Stree Nidhi etc. ” Before the elections, Naidu gave a call to the women not to pay nay loans to the banks as he promised that he would waive these loans. As a result, though they were known for 100 per cent repayment, these women groups defaulted in loan repayment and Naidu could not keep his words even after 18 months in power. Naidu, by his false promise destroyed the good will of these SHGs earned after a long disciplined economic activities. Having defaulted, these SHG were not able to secure loans from the banks, he said adding that the situation forced them to go any unscrupulous money lender with bad motive for loans.

“Vijayawada Call Money racket is the result of Naidu’s false and broken promises,” Tulasi Reddy alleged. “The only solution for the problem is that the government should immediately repay the all loans which TDP promised to waive to banks as assured during 2014 election campaign and make these groups free of all loans. Then they will get fresh loans. The is the only way to prevent the women from being fallen prey to atrocities of Call Money organizers,” Reddy said.

He also demanded a thorough probe into the Call Money racket and its political connections as there were reports that many politicians including some MLAs were said have been beneficiaries of the Call Money.