'Volkswagen shifted due to govt's wrong policy'

Hyderabad, Nov 19: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and President of the Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) N Chandra Babu Naidu today alleged that Volkswagen factory was shifted from the state due to the corrupt practices of the present government.

Addressing a press conference here, he said Chief Minister Y S Rajashekar Reddy had not taken any action against the then Industry Minister Botsa Satyanarayana and officials who were involved in the incident, incurring a loss of Rs 11 crore to the state.

He alleged that the Chief Minister had even given promotion to the minister and the party ticket to his wife to contest the forthcoming by-elections to the Bobbili Lok Sabha constituency.

He charged Dr Reddy and Satyanarayana with being responsible for shifting the factory to other state. Dr Reddy should explain to the people what action he had taken against the erring persons on the issue, he added.

He said he would send a questionnaire to the Chief Minister and demanded a reply for it.

He alleged that though the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had taken up the case, it had failed to pinpoint the guilty so far and added the people were doubting the credibility of its investigation of the case.

He alleged that the state government had failed to bring new projects to the state and also protect the interests of the farmers.

''In the name of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), the government is encouraging real estate business and its lobby in the state by alloting thousands of acres of agricultural land belonging to poor farmers,'' Mr Reddy said.

The state government was misusing the official machinery by posting advertisements worth crores of rupees in newspapers and hence violating the election code of conduct in view of the by-elections to the Karimnagar and Bobbili Lok Sabha constituencies.

UNI