File photo of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu
Telangana's Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy has alleged that Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu had a role in the cash-for-vote scandal that rocked the state on the eve of its first birthday earlier this week.
The minister has alleged that there is a recorded telephone conversation between Mr Naidu, who is also the Chief Minister of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, and his party's lawmaker from Telangana, Revanth Reddy, to support his claim.
Revanth Reddy was arrested by Telangana's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Sunday. He was caught on camera while allegedly offering a bribe to a nominated lawmaker Elvis Stephenson for his support in the state legislative council elections, voting for which took place on Monday.
"This is going to bring about dramatic changes in politics here because the prime actor in this case is Chandrababu Naidu himself. People are demanding that he should be made accused number one. He spoke to our MLA on phone. That recording is there,'' the Home Minister alleged.
The ruling TRS and Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress have demanded that Mr Naidu be investigated in the case.
Mr Naidu has dismissed the allegations. "In Telangana, our party won 15 seats, but the TRS bought five of them and they have filed a case against us. YSR Congress which claimed they are for united state, now they voted for TRS. They are commenting on me. Do they have the moral authority to speak about me, those who have 16 criminal cases and are doing the rounds of courts?'' he said, attacking both the TRS and Jagan Mohan Reddy, whose party is the main opposition party in Andhra Pradesh.
The TDP which is in power in Andhra Pradesh and TRS, the ruling party in Telangana, have accused each other of horse trading for the Telangana legislative council elections held on Monday.
The TRS won five of six seats and the Congress won one.