YSRCP MP from Hindupur, Gorantla Madhav, on Sunday accused Chandrababu Naidu and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh of misleading the people of the state, by 'planting' news reports.
Madhav was referring to a news report earlier this week in Reuters, which suggested that KIA motors was planning to shift a massive plant located in Anantapur district, to Tamil Nadu. The report had triggered a major row, but the company has since denied any such plans and said that it was planning to expand further in Andhra Pradesh itself.
"With an intent to turn lies into truth, Chandrababu Naidu resorted to influencing Reuters and forced them to write a news story. The TDP then used the story to make false claims and even tried to raise the issue in the Parliament to mislead the House," Madhav alleged on Sunday.
"The TDP also created confusion over the company's operation in Andhra Pradesh because it was not able to digest the progress made by the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government," he added.
Madhav also played footage of speeches by TDP MP Rammohan Naidu in Parliament and alleged that the opposition party was maligning the state instead of protecting its interests.
In April last year, when KIA was rolling out of its first made-in-India car, the MP had registered his protest.
"Car roll out - our young people ruled out here sorry," he wrote on the bonnet of an SUV that was launched, as visiting dignitaries attending the KIA launch were asked to write congratulatory messages on the car.
The MP was referring to allegations by locals in the region that they had not gotten jobs promised to them by KIA.
Asked about the incident, Madhav defended his move on Sunday and said that he was only questioning their commitment to hire locals, and would continue to do so. He said that it had nothing to do with the plant continuing to function and expand in the state.
He also told reporters that he would speak to the Chief Minister and request that the state's capital be moved to the Rayalaseema region.