Senior YSR Congress party legislator and former Andhra Pradesh minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy is facing the threat of being disqualified from the state assembly, with the National Democratic Alliance government in the state headed by Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu stepping up the investigation into the alleged encroachments of lands by Peddireddy’s family.
A high court bench has admitted a petition filed by one Ramachandra Yadav against Peddireddy on July 4, stating that the latter had avoided mentioning of details of as many as 142 assets in the name of his wife Swarnalatha. The petition is coming up for hearing on Tuesday.
In fact, Yadav filed an election petition before the Election Commission questioning the affidavit of Peddireddy much before the polling on May 13.
He also submitted representations to the Governor and also higher officials. But no action was taken and Peddireddy got elected to the assembly in the assembly elections.
Now that the TDP-led NDA is in power, Yadav filed a petition in the high court, which served notices on the state government to submit details of Peddireddy’s assets. It also asked TDP candidate Challa Ramachandra Reddy to submit his counter.
Since the Naidu government is digging into the assets of Peddireddy and recovered certain files pertaining to the assets of the latter’s wife in the recent Madanapalle sub-collector office fire mishap, they are expected to tighten the case against the YSRCP leader.
If the case is proved against Peddireddy, he may have to face the disqualification and Ramachandra Reddy may be declared elected in his place.
In any case, the former minister is going to move the division bench and then the Supreme Court to continue the legal battle.
