CASH-FOR-VOTE SCAM: Cong to file PIL in HC for CBI probe

AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh ridicules AP and Telangana Chief Ministers N Chandrababu Naidu and K Chandrashekar Rao for acting in an immature manner

Hyderabad: AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Sunday announced that his party leaders would file public interest litigation (PIL) petition in the High Court seeking CBI probe into “cash-for-vote” scam. The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee together would file the PIL, he said.

At a press conference here, Digvijay Singh said the tussle between the Chief Ministers -- K Chandrashekar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu -- was a good opportunity for the Congress in both states to play a role of strong opposition. In regard to the “cash-for-vote” scam, the AICC general secretary said he had never expected that both Naidu and KCR would act in such an immature manner.

He suggested that both the Chief Minister ask the Centre to order a CBI investigation into the “cash-for-vote” scam. He also suggested that investigation may be taken up by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) if it was constituted by the Hyderabad High Court.

“If both the Chief Ministers fail to seek either CBI probe or High Court-monitored probe, then the TPCC and APCC together will file a PIL, seeking direction for CBI probe into the scam,” he said. Taking a dig at Modi government, he said the NDA which came to power was not able to deliver on any of the promises which jobs, economic growth or retrieving black money from Swiss Banks.

He said that Gujarat Model followed by the government would not help in stimulating overall development, as even IMF was not recommending “trickle down” theory for developing nations. “The Nehru-Gandhian model of socio-economic model would best suited for the country in which more than 20 per cent were underprivileged and poor,” he said.