TDP demands CBI probe into Kodela death

Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, who accompanied the body of the former Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly Kodela Siva Prasad Rao from Hyderabad to Guntur on Tuesday, demanded CBI probe into the death of Kodela.

Reacting to the developments, Naidu said the YSRCP government was "worse than a terrorist government". The former speaker was harassed mentally, physically and financially and was intimidated, he said.

Addressing media here before accompanying the body by road to Guntur, Naidu said the death of Kodela should be taken as a case study at the national level. "The entire case has to be investigated by the CBI. Intellectuals in this country should debate on the government's attitude," he told reporters.

Reading out letters from Kodela to the current AP government in which Kodela stated that he was "ready to pay for the office furniture, for which he asked the (current) speaker to calculate the cost," but the government went to the extent of slapping cases under Section 409 under which one can be arrested for 10 years.

He said the former speaker was harassed by everyone from constable to DGP. It is unfortunate that institutions were succumbing to pressures of the government.

Naidu said, "I have seen 11 chief ministers in my long career and I myself held the post for so many years. I have never seen a Chief Minister like Jagan Mohan Reddy. Kodela's suicide is nothing but murder by the government."

The former chief minister said Rao wrote two letters in June and in August to the Assembly secretary to take back the furniture which was kept in his camp office. However, the state government chose to file a case against him, he alleged.

Another YSRCP leader Vijaysai Reddy tweeted asking party rank and file as many cases as they want against Kodela and assured the party would stand by them. "One fails to understand what kind of mentality is this?" Naidu asked.

TDP president said, "Right from constable to the DGP and everybody in the government whoever filed and is dealing with these cases against Kodela became spineless.". The government abetted the suicide and it is a clear case study on "vindictive politics," which people of the State and country should be made aware of, he said.

None of the cases have dates mentioned in it. Expressing his anguish, Naidu said even today the former Speaker stays in rented house. While Jagan Mohan Reddy stays in a huge palace and has three such palaces. Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has been charge-sheeted on various charges and has to go to court every Friday.

Hitting out at the Andhra Pradesh government, Naidu said 19 "baseless and unfounded" cases including some related to extortion and breach of trust were foisted against the family members of the departed leader, violating Supreme Court guidelines, which mandates an inquiry before filing such cases, Naidu added.

The BJP also seems to be supporting the demand of the TDP. While Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said that a thorough investigation into the cause of suicide by Kodela should be taken up and if need be a CBI probe can also be asked for.

State BJP president Kannan Lakshminarayana and MLC Somu Veerraju said that the AP government was resorting to political vendetta and hence a thorough probe to find the real reason behind the suicide of the former Speaker was necessary.