Chandrababu Sinking Deeper Into A Quagmire Trying To Tarnish Image Of Opposition Leaders

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu admitted that he had to strike a compromise with the Telangana government and left many institutions officially or unofficially, forfeiting the right of Andhra Pradesh over the joint capital status of Hyderabad for 10 years. He explained that this is how he moved to Amaravati.

Chandrababu made this statement at a media meet in which he claimed he would present evidence on the data theft case involving the personal information of 3.6 crore residents of the state. Effectively, Chandrababu Naidu scored a self goal at the media conference he convened on Saturday.

Further, the AP chief minister indirectly admitted to being aware of the whereabouts of the prime accused in the data breach case, Ashok Dakavaram. What was even more bizarre was the manner in which he tried to present Rajya Sabha YSRCP MP, V Vijayasai Reddy’s complaint to the Central Election Commission as evidence!

Chandrababu Naidu once again parroted his statement about a nexus between KCR, YS Jagan and PM Modi. Ever since the data theft scam broke out, he has been presenting this weak line of defence.

The TDP chief has been saying that KCR insulted the people of Andhra region to incite passions between people of the two states. Political analysts, however, say that in trying to tarnish the image of opposition leaders, Chandrababu Naidu is only sinking deeper into a quagmire.

It was widely being speculated through selective media leaks that the TDP supremo would present conclusive evidence relating to the data theft case at the media meet on Saturday. What did he finally offer as evidence? The complaint given by YSRCP leader and Member of the Upper House of parliament, V. Vijayasai Reddy.

In doing so, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister became the butt of several jokes. It is common knowledge that the YSRCP Rajya Sabha member had lodged a formal complaint with district officials, State Election Commission and Central Election Commission authorities, on the data breach involving sensitive information related to residents of the state.

His complaint sought a probe into how data theft on such a humongous scale could have taken place and as to who were behind this conspiracy? The YSRCP leader sought an enquiry into the organisations involved, and other aspects of this data breach.

Vijayasai Reddy sort a detailed enquiry into the matter and expressed his own suspicions as well. Chandrababu Naidu became the laughing stock of the people of the state by trying to present the Rajya Sabha member’s complaint as evidence.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister could not offer an explanation as to how personal information of the people of the state including their mobile numbers, Aadhaar card details, voter ID particulars, bank account details, name, address, caste, religion and other information was passed on to a small Hyderabad-based private company, IT Grids India Pvt Ltd.

How did information gathered by the AP government through surveys get transferred to this private company? It is this data transfer, among other things which are at the heart of this grave matter. Chandrababu did not open his mouth on these aspects.

Further, the TDP supremo contradicted himself when he said that a case was registered when an individual named Dasaratharami Reddy lodged a complaint on February 19, and later questioning as to how searches could be conducted on February 23 on IT Grids India Pvt Ltd., without any case.

He also said that party work was outsourced to this company. The AP chief minister further contradicted himself when he said on one occasion that government data had been stolen and later claimed that his party data had been illegally accessed.

Bizarre logic

Chandrababu Naidu further said that the Telangana government should have informed its AP counterpart when a complaint was lodged relating to data theft of the state, instead of acting upon it and probing the company.

His argument got even more bizarre with his claim that AP government data had been breached and then defending the CEO of IT Grids India Pvt Ltd., who is the accused and is at the heart of the data theft case.

The highlight of the media conference was Chandrababu stating that Ashok Dakavaram would surface soon when he was questioned about the whereabouts of the CEO of IT Grids. Political analysts have pointed out that it was odd that a chief minister should claim knowledge of the prime accused in a case for whom a lookout circular has been issued.

AP government employees are furious at Chandrababu Naidu‘s compromise with his Telangana counterpart and for forfeiting the state's right to a joint capital in Hyderabad for 10 years.

Government employees were forced to move to Amaravati which did not have basic infrastructure. Many of them slammed Chandrababu Naidu for pledging the interests of the state for his own selfish political ends after getting implicated in the notes for votes case in 2015.

It is clear that the AP chief minister is once again trying out his time-tested take me off deflecting the attention of the people from the central issue of the data breach case. Chandrababu Naidu is trying to portray the data theft conspiracy as dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and thereby trying to evoke regional passions and sentiments.

The TDP chief forgets conveniently that it was his party which went in for an alliance with the TRS and fought the elections in 2009. He made a personal appearance at the Yagna conducted by KCR after the bifurcation of the state.

Chandrababu Naidu also invited the Telangana Chief Minister to the foundation-laying ceremony of Amaravati and treated him with great honour and warmth. The TDP chief also arranged a special lunch for him.

It was Chandrababu Naidu who tried desperately to strike an alliance with TRS for the Telangana elections conducted in December. His statement that KCR had given Rs. 1,000 crores to YS Jagan to fight the AP elections is a sign of his frustration, observers have pointed out.

YS Jagan Never Met KCR

Analysts have also stated that in contrast, the YSR Congress party chief had never met KCR. The two leaders had never held discussions, political analysts point out, adding that working president of TRS, KTR met YS Jagan recently to discuss the issue of a Federal Front on the national stage. Both KTR and YS Jagan had disclosed this explicitly after their meeting, observers say.

Chandrababu Naidu’s growing frustration was evident at the media conference. Instead of responding to the central issue of data breach involving the personal information of citizens of Andhra Pradesh, he held out warnings and threats.

Instead of answering the questions relating to data theft Chandrababu warned people of Andhra Pradesh saying that their children could be kidnapped and that their properties could be in danger.

Chandrababu has no answer to the question that since the IT ministry is the department concerned in this case, why is Mr Nara Lokesh silent on this issue? It is being said that just as the CEO of IT Grids Ashok Dakavaram, is being sheltered, Nara Lokesh has also been asked to stay away from the public eye.

Also Read: Chandrababu Should Be More Dignified In Politics And Public Discourse