Centre must release a white paper on funds given to AP: Kutumba Rao

Amaravati: Taking exception to the doubts raised on utilisation of funds for development of backward districts, AP Planning Board vice-chairman C Kutumba Rao demanded that BJP MP and spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao should ask the Centre to release a white paper on the funds released to Andhra Pradesh and status of Visakhapatnam-Chennai industrial corridor.  

Speaking to reporters in Vijayawada on Wednesday, Kutumba Rao said that the BJP spokesperson has been resorting to mudslinging against the State government and telling lies on release of funds from Centre and development of Andhra Pradesh.  

He said instead of resorting to personal accusations, the BJP leader should visit the backward districts in the state and react after witnessing the development in those districts. He pointed out that the Central government had failed to release funds for the development of the VCIC industrial corridor.

Objecting to the comments of GVL Narasimha Rao that a stock market person was appointed as vice-chairman of planning board, Kutumba Rao said that it was the privilege and discretion of Chief Minister to appoint experts of different walks of life to different posts.

He challenged the BJP leader to predict the future of BJP in coming elections and added that the BJP would emerge as a single largest party but it would win only 150 to 170 seats.

Responding on comments made by BJP leaders that the State government was tapping the phones of BJP State chief Kanna Lakshminarayana, Kutumba Rao said the Department of Telecommunications was under purview of the Union government and they could verify the facts.

He said the BJP leaders were making their party as Bharatiya Jokers Party by making baseless allegations. “People do not believe the allegations of BJP leaders,” he said.

Referring to the allegations made by Opposition leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy on TDP government in AgriGold case, he said that Jagan was trying to gain political mileage by creating confusion among AgriGold victims. He asked Jaganmohan Reddy to implead in Agri Gold case in High Court. He said that the State government would ensure justice to AgriGold victims by handling the case in a transparent manner.

Kutumba Rao reiterated that he would expose a Central government scam in a few months after getting complete evidence. “We have some evidence in a case being taken up by Prasanth Bhushan. We will reveal the facts after we get complete evidence on the scam,” he said.