YSR Congress alleges Naidu lobbied for AirAsia

A "conversation" between two top executives of AirAsia that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu can get things done has kicked up a political row.

The Opposition YSR Congress is now blaming the chief minister of brokering international deals.

The leaked 33-minute conversation between the Malaysia-based airline’s top executives, Tony Fernandez and Mitto Chandilya, during the tenure of Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju, revolves around Naidu's ability to get things done and how important he is in the political set up in the country at the time.

"The stunning audio tapes are in the possession of a Delhi-based media group and surprisingly the friendly media of Chandrababu Naidu had ignored such dark side of the deals and the role of lobbyist Deepak Talwar and his closeness with the chief minister which are under scanner," Senior YSR Congress leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Reddy said that the airline's executives can be heard saying that the TDP is sharing power with the BJP as part of the NDA coalition and one has to play nice with Naidu to get things done and that they want to develop Vizag into an aviation centre.

“The corruption levels of Chandrababu Naidu has crossed borders and he has become notorious world over as the top broker of the country who can manage and broker deals, while his friendly media plays up his insipid comments,” Reddy said.

"During the last four years, Naidu's corruption level has crossed Rs 4 lakh crore, and he has expanded his evil empire beyond boundaries," he said.

Refuting the allegations, state Planning Commission Deputy Chairman C Kutumba Rao said in Vijayawada that the Y S R Congress is frustrated and is making baseless allegations.

"What is wrong if someone says that Naidu is influential and famous? Yes at that time we were part of NDA and two private persons were talking what they want," he said.

Rao wondered from where the media houses or the Y S R Congress got the tapes as tapping private conversation without permission is a crime.