Actor and politician Pawan Kalyan Jana Sena joins hands with Chandrababu Naidu
Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena is also a member of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Hyderabad:
Actor-politician Pawan Kalyan on Thursday announced an alliance between his Jana Sena and the Telugu Desam Party of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who was sent to Rajahmundry jail this week for two weeks after his arrest for an alleged amount of Rs 371 crore. scam case.
Flanked by Mr. Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh and his brother-in-law, Hindupur MP Nandamuri Balakrishna, Mr. Kalyan hit out at the Andhra Pradesh government for his “incorrect” arrest.
“Today I have taken the decision that Jana Sena and Telugu Desam will contest together in the upcoming elections. It is not about the political future of our party (his party)… but about the future. of Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Mr Kalyan and Mr Balakrishna met Mr Naidu in jail this morning, after the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday said the TDP leader must be behind bars until at least Monday.
The state is due to hold assembly elections next year and Mr Kalyan said he “can’t afford the YSRCP”, referring to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSR Congress Party.
Mr Kalyan then attacked “the person who did this (Mr Naidu’s arrest)” and accused this individual – understood to be Mr Reddy – of “facing serious criminal charges” . “From the PPA to the State Directive Principles… all violations. Person who faces cases from the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation… who needs a permission even to leave the country,” the actor-politician said.
READ | ‘Jagan Reddy political conspiracy’: Chandrababu Naidu’s party on his arrest
“He has not kept his promises and he is looting…he is making money through alcohol,” the allegations continued, calling “this man’s unconstitutional activities.” “Purely political vendetta…condemn this arrest. I had to stand with Lokesh and Balakrishna because of YSRCP and Jagan.”
On Sunday, Chandrababu Naidu was sent to judicial custody for two weeks. On Tuesday, an anti-corruption court rejected his wife’s request for home care after she cited security concerns.
READ | Chandrababu Naidu to remain in jail, court rejects wife’s ‘security’ plea
On Wednesday, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Andhra Pradesh Police underlined its belief that Mr. Naidu was the main accused in the case; it had initially been registered under number 37.
READ | Andhra Skill Development Corp created by flouting rules: investigators
The case pertains to the creation of clusters of Centers of Excellence (CoE) in the state with a total project estimate valued at Rs 3,300 crore, but this reportedly ended up causing a loss of over Rs 300 crore to the State. The CID estimates that before any expenditure by private entities, the then government had provided an advance of Rs 371 crore – the government’s total commitment of 10 per cent.
READ | The Rs 371 Crore scam that led to Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest: Explained
Investigations led to the conclusion, prima facie, that Mr. Naidu, then head of government and its highest executive, had orchestrated the entire scheme, the CID said.
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