A delegation of senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders, led by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, called on Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan in Vijayawada on Thursday, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of ex-Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao.
Kodela, a senior politician who served in the cabinets of Naidu and TDP founder NT Rama Rao, killed himself at his residence in Hyderabad earlier this week, which triggered a massive political slugfest in the state.
Terming Kodela's death a 'murder', Chandrababu Naidu said that alleged harassment by the YSRCP government pushed him to end his life.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Naidu said, "We demand CBI inquiry on circumstances that compelled Kodela to suicide. We will go to any extent for justice. YSRCP government is acting in a vindictive manner against opposition parties. Kodela was harassed with false cases under serious charges which caused him mental agony."
“Someone (Siva Prasada Rao) called ‘Palnadu Tiger’ was afraid. Someone who was a speaker, dying like this is bad. Petty cases were also filed on him, apart from other cases filed over the shifting of furniture," Naidu was quoted as saying.
Kodela Rao and his son Sivarama Krishna were booked by the Andhra Pradesh police on August 24, under Section 409 (Criminal breach of trust by public servant) and 411 (Dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the Indian Penal Code, for diverting Assembly furniture to premises owned by them, in Guntur district. The case was filed after a complaint by Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretary P Balakrishnamacharyulu.
However, after Kodela's death, letters written by him have surfaced, which showed that he wanted to their pay for the furniture or return it.
Naidu held up the letters in the press meet on Thursday and said that despite clearly communicating his stand to the present government, they continued to pursue the criminal case against him.
The TDP has questioned why the Secretary went ahead and filed a police complaint in August, despite receiving a letter from Kodela in June.
The YSRCP has dismissed the TDP's allegations and claimed that Kodela was upset with his own party members, as he had been sidelined. YSRCP leaders have also suggested that differences within his family may have led to the senior politician taking the extreme step.