The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance’s vice-presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday denied the allegations of corruption levelled by the Congress. “It is evident that these issues have been referred to a few days before the election to the post of vice president clearly reflecting on the political motives and the mischievous intentions,” said Naidu, according to The Indian Express. “This is a clear evidence of the sense of hopelessness and political bankruptcy of the Congress party.”
Earlier in the day, the Congress had alleged that the Telangana government did not follow the bidding process while ordering police vehicles worth Rs 270 crore in 2014. While some of the vehicles were bought from Harsha Toyota, a firm owned by Naidu’s son, the others were from Himanshu Motors run by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s son.
Naidu said that the state government and Toyota handled the deal directly. Meanwhile, Telangana chief minister’s son KT Rama Rao told NDTV that he had sold his dealership long before their party came to power in 2014.
The Congress further alleged that Naidu’s daughter’s trust in Telangana was granted an exemption of Rs 2.2 crore by the municipal authorities. “Is it not a fact that such an exemption has no precedent and it has been done because his daughter is the managing trustee of the organisation?” said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
Naidu said other trusts had been given similar exemptions. Similarly, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Special Commissioner Naveen Mittal told NDTV that 17 institutions have been granted such exemptions on a case-to-case basis.
The Congress also accused Naidu of grabbing land in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district. Congress leader Ramesh said Naidu was “forced” to return the plot after widespread protests and political pressure.
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