The war of words has generated much political heat in the tail-end Rayachoti constituency, with two prominent leaders representing rival parties trading charges and counter-charges of corruption.
Chief Whip and YSRCP MLA G. Srikanth Reddy took on TDP district president and arch rival R. Sreenivasa Reddy head-on a day after the latter accused him of corruption in the execution of the Veligallu irrigation project.
As the TDP charged the government with releasing ₹15 crore for a work already executed and paid for to the tune of ₹9 crore in the past, Mr. Srikanth Reddy clarified that the new release was necessitated to plug the breaches suffered in the canal and to ensure supply of water to the remote fields in its ayacut area.
Mr. Srikanth Reddy accused Mr. Sreenivasa Reddy, who had unsuccessfully contested against the former in the general elections, of making “wild accusations” against him for cheap publicity without knowing the facts.
He also pointed out that the TDP leader’s contract firm had allegedly been blacklisted way back in 2006. To prove his innocence and honesty, Mr. Srikanth Reddy dared him to visit Siddhi Vinayaka temple at Kanipakam or Narasimha Swamy temple at Tarigonda to swear in front of the deity.
Responding to the allegations, Mr. Sreenivasa Reddy welcomed the Chief Whip to prove his charges by getting a probe ordered by the State government.
