We have nothing to do with Revanth issue: Achen Naidu

In a sign that the TDP is beginning to disown its pointsman in Telangana Revanth Reddy, key minister in AP’s Chandrababu Naidu’s government K Achen Naidu said the party has nothing to do with him.

“The issue (Revanth Reddy’s arrest) is separate. We have no relation with this,” he told reporters.

The statement comes significantly on a day when Chandrababu Naidu is in Delhi lobbying with key personalities in the Modi government on the issue. Achen Naidu said Revanth will be punished if he is guilty or come out unscathed if he is innocent. “The issue is currently in court’s purview,” he added.

Revanth Reddy was arrested while trying to buy TRS MLAs for the just-concluded MLC elections in Telangana. During the course of his conversation, recorded in video form, Revanth repeatedly referred to Boss, Naidu Garu or Babu Garu, indicating that Chandrababu Naidu was the lynchpin of the Cash for Votes scam.

Achen Naidu also sought to raise the phone tapping issue and said TRS cannot tap Chandrababu’s private conversations. Achen’s comments show that the TDP is slowly unfolding a strategy to save Chandrababu and distance itself from Revanth Reddy.