Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to meet Mamata Banerjee today
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will meet Mamata Banerjee today in Kolkata. The West Bengal Chief Minister is on a 'save the constitution' dharna since Sunday night, after CBI officers turned up at the Kolkata Police chief's residence to question him in connection with the Saradha scam probe. Mr Naidu will be the third big opposition leader, after DMK's Kanimozhi and Lalu Yadav's son Tejashwi, to meet the Bengal Chief Minister over the clash with CBI.
"The BJP is blaming others for corruption. However, the party and its president Amit Shah are most corrupt in India, Mr Naidu told news agency ANI, and it is under "their rule that leaders like Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi escaped after looting the banks of our country," Mr Naidu alleged.
Yesterday, lashing out at the Centre and the BJP, the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) chief accused the Narendra Modi government of misusing the CBI against opposition leaders. "Everyone should condemn the incidents in West Bengal. These revengeful actions against Ms Mamata Banerjee are because her unity rally in Kolkata was successful," Mr Naidu had said.
DMK leader Kanimozhi and Lalu Yadav's son Tejashwi Yadav met Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata
The TDP chief said that the BJP is blaming opposition parties for going against Prime Minister Narendra Modi but that not so. "We are not against PM Modi, we are against his policies and behaviour," Mr Naidu said, adding that, "the economy has collapsed and independent institutions are being misused."
Mr Naidu claimed that while court cases against the BJP leaders and their "friends" are being withdrawn, new cases are being filed against those opposing the party.
"Recently, cases have been registered against Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, and now revengeful action is being taken against Mamata Banerjee. Centre-State relations are deteriorating," Mr Naidu alleged.
Yesterday, after meeting Ms Banerjee, Kanimozhi said, "I would say that this episode was Modi-ji's pre-election gift to Mamata Banerjee... the whole country is now looking at her... the BJP has realised after January 19 rally that they won't return to power."
"It is a political conspiracy to use the CBI against political opponents. Narendra Modi is elder to us, and he should understand that the PM comes and goes, but the institutions of this great country remain," Tejashwi Yadav said, sitting next to the Bengal Chief Minister.