lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Mar 26, 2019 19:16 IST

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday alleged that YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy had offered to pay Rs 1,500 crore to the Congress high command if he was made the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh after the death of his father YS Rajasekhar Reddy in 2009.

Abdullah, the National Conference leader, made this sensational claim at an election rally that he addressed to seek support for Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at Kadapa in the state.

He said after YSR’s death, Jagan had come to him and requested his help (in convincing the Congress high command). “Reddy told me he was ready to offer Rs 1,500 crore to the high command if he was made the chief minister of the then combined Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

He wondered from how Jagan had made so much money. “Did he have any treasure hidden somewhere? Definitely, it must have been looted from others. If such people are elected as the chief minister, they would only concentrate on swindling money. Beware of such leaders,” Abdulla cautioned.

Repeated attempts to reach out to YSRC general secretary and Rajya Sabha member V Vijay Sai Reddy, who has been with the party since its inception, for his reaction on Abdullah’s allegations proved futile.

On situation emerging after Pulwama terror attack, Abdullah said India should maintain good relations with the neighbouring countries including Pakistan, rather than adopting a confrontationist approach.

He invoked former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to say, “You can change your friends but, you cannot choose your neighbours.” Abdullah said the Modi government should make efforts to find peace with the neighbours.

“If we maintain good relations with our neighbours, both will grow. Otherwise, both will suffer,” he said.

He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of whipping up emotions of the people before every election. “In the last election, they raised the issue of Ram Mandir. Now, they are not talking about it,” he said.

Abdullah regretted that India at present had not been the same it was during the Gandhi regime. “People are living with fear psychosis,” he said.

Stating that India was a country with unity in diversity, the National Conference MP invited the people of AP to Kashmir as tourists after elections. “Kashmir was mine and is mine and will forever remain integral part of India”, he declared.