Note-for-vote scam takes centre-stage

New Delhi: The note-for-vote scam, involving TDP MLA Revanth Reddy from Telangana and nominated MLA of the TRS Elvis Stephenson with regard to the elections to the Telangana Legislative Council, has occupied centre stage in New Delhi with the AICC demanding the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the CPM seeking the long-pending electoral reforms.

The latest audio recording of the conversation allegedly between Naidu and Stephenson that raised a storm in the two Telugu States on Sunday fuelled intense speculation over the propriety of the crime as well as the alleged recording of the same. Working to a fine-tuned plan, the AICC, which made its Leader of Opposition in the Telangana Council Md Shabbir Ali hit out at both the TDP and the TRS for "degeneration in politics'" and predictably took a step towards demanding the resignation of Naidu and the constitution of a judicial inquiry into the same.

Speaking to the media, AICC spokesperson Shobha Ojha on Monday sought to know why the BJP, which made a hue and cry over a similar episode in Parliament in the past, was keeping mum on Naidu's wrong-doings. Expressing doubts over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue, she went on to question the BJP whether there was a criminal conspiracy in the silence to protect Naidu.

A government that spoke of values and morals, should have gotten down to the job of probing the issue without any delay, she said.She also sought to know whether the TRS government had a right to snoop on a colleague (or rival) CM in the manner it did, if at all it did, as it had been alleged by AP government spokesperson and media advisor Parakala Prabhakar.

The AICC, however, kept mum on which was a bigger issue - the very alleged crime of buying someone's vote, or ordering a snoop of it (those defending the Telangana government's argument was that it was no snooping but a recording of the matter at the complainant's behest). The confusion over Naidu's role and his involvement only grew with Prabhakar's defence which was self-contradictory in many ways.

Meanwhile, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who rounded off his party's Central Committee meeting, said the issue was one more example of unethical practices in politics. Naidu had been denying the allegations, but action must be initiated against those responsible after a fair inquiry, Yechury demanded.

Pointing out that the CPM had long been demanding electoral reforms, Yechury said such (Reventh Reddy's) issues reaffirmed his party's faith in its demand and appealed to all parties to join hands. The worst fears of the BJP had come true with the issue slowly claiming the centre stage of politics, despite its best efforts to suppress the same.

It is also not clear so far as to who deputed a Union minister to Hyderabad for what is now being termed as a "failed mediation". It is worth mentioning that it is only after his visit that a tape was leaked that dragged Naidu directly into the controversy.

In addition to this and interestingly, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy of the YSRCP and Naidu are landing in New Delhi with the sole purpose of sorting out the issues in their own way. While Naidu's stay is for two days, Jagan is expected to meet the President and "others" to seek an intervention as usual.

By:W Chandrakanth