What is believed to be a casual luncheon meeting between YSR Congress party MLA Buggana Rajendranath Reddy and BJP MLA Akula Satyanarayana in New Delhi has triggered a political storm in Andhra Pradesh.
A Telugu news channel caught the two MLAs coming out of Hotel Shangrila on Thursday afternoon and coming to Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in the same car, which led to the speculation that Buggana might have met the BJP bosses in Delhi as part of a deal between YSRC and the BJP.
The TDP leaders, including chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his son Lokesh Naidu, did not lose much time in slinging mud at the YSRC.
They suspected that Buggana, who is also the chairman of Public Accounts Committee of Andhra Pradesh Assembly, might have pass on crucial files of the state accounts to them so that the Centre could use them file CBI cases against Naidu.
Naidu without even verifying the facts alleged that the meeting of Buggana and Akula clearly indicated that the BJP and the YSRC were working in consort to defame the TDP and thus gain electoral benefit.
Finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu went a step ahead and said passing on PAC files to Delhi bosses amounted to breach of privilege of the assembly.
However, both Buggana and Akula clarified that their luncheon meeting had nothing do with any political conspiracy against the TDP.
Akula said he had not met any top BJP leaders at all and so taking Buggana along with him did not arise.
Buggana, while admitting that he and Akula had lunch together, wondered why the TDP leaders were so much frightened with just a casual meeting.
“We both are good friends and having lunch together had no political overtones. In fact, I also met TDP leader Kuna Ravi Kumar and hugged him in AP Bhavan. Does it mean he is joining the YSRC?” he asked.
He said it clearly showed the insecurity feeling among the TDP leaders.
“Why? Can’t I meet any BJP leader? What should we say when the TDP government appointed wife of a BJP minister of Maharashtra in the TTD?” Buggana asked.
