KCR's Deputy Hits Back, Asks Chandrababu Naidu to Focus on his Own State

Telangana's deputy chief minister Mohd Mahmood Ali has fired the next volley in the war over the cash for votes scam, dismissing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's claims of phone tapping with a "no time for such activities".

He further advised the Andhra Pradesh chief minister not to "go around complaining to Delhi and crying to media" and focus on his own state instead of on Telangana. "They commit blunders and want to blame us. I appeal to them not to drag us into this controversy and let the ACB do its job.''

In an interview with NDTV on Tuesday, Mr Naidu had warned that it would be the end of Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhara Rao's regime if he tries to arrest him.

"Why should the TRS government arrest him? The law agency will do its job. Our government is certainly not going to fall. Naidu should worry about his own,'' the deputy CM said.

The intermittent bickering between the two states had become a full blown war over the cash for votes scam. Mr Naidu has come in the firing line of Telangana's ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi after a legislator of his party was caught while allegedly trying to buy votes for the state legislative council elections.

Mr Naidu's direct involvement was alleged after a local TV channel aired an audio recording of what it claimed was a conversation between Mr Naidu and Mr Stephenson -- the independent MLA whose vote was being sought. Mr Naidu has claimed the tape was doctored and his phone was tapped.

He also dismissed the need for Central intervention in the matter, saying this was not a case of "dispute between the two states."

Regarding Mr Naidu's concerns about the Telangana government arresting him, he said, "Why will our government arrest him? If he has to be arrested, the police will do it".