Now BJP plays opposition role in Assembly, Council

Amaravati: A few hours after the TDP walked out from BJP-led NDA over the central government’s denial of a Special Category Status to AP, the BJP trained its guns over TDP in the Assembly on Friday by raising issues of huge corruption, sand and land mafia and liquor issues.

BJP floor leader P Vishnu Kumar Raju in Assembly and MLC PVN Madhav in Legislative Council started the attack on government giving clear signals to state government over their future role of Opposition in the both the Houses.

Participating in general discussion on annual financial budget, Vishnu Kumar Raju expressed his concern over large-scale corruption in the state. ``Corruption has been increased several times in the state. Even small employees were caught with crores of rupees in ACB raids. Government has to put serious efforts to control corruption,” he said.

Referring sand and land mafia, Vishnu Kumar said he himself took the  mafia issue to the notice of Chief Minister. ``The government was saying that sand was available free of cost. But people are compelled to pay high rates to buy sand. The sand mafia was operating with the backing of political leaders. State government must reveal the names of the politicians behind this sand mafia,” he demanded.

Raju said the state government obtained revenue of Rs 4,352 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 5,800 crore in 2017-18 from liquor sales. But it has estimated Rs 7,530 crore through Excise department for 2018-19 fiscal. “Is it not shame on the part of state government to show an increase of around Rs 3,000 crore through liquor sale,” he asked.

He alleged that AP government was seeking revenue by encouraging people to consume more liquor even as lakhs of families are facing serious problems. “State government has changed the category of several National Highways into state roads only to facilitate wine shops,” he lamented.

Speaking on Special Category Status issue, he said the Centre give around Rs 250 crore only as industrial incentive to each state under SCS. “The amount is not an issue to AP compared to the expenditure being spent on special flights (used by Chief Minister),” he said. He also found fault with the Chief Minister’s statement on support to YSR Congress on no-confidence motion. “

BJP MLC Madhav has said TDP was accusing BJP as part of its political game. The AP was now facing lack of development as Chandrababu Naidu developed only Hyderabad. ``It is all conspiracy against Prime Minister Modi and BJP to say that the Centre did nothing to AP,” he said.