KTR challenges Naidu to undergo lie-detector test

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's son and IT minister K. Tarakarama Rao on Monday dared Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to face a live lie-detector test in the cash-for-vote scandal.The panchayat raj and information technology minister said that he was ready for lie-detector test live on television but asked Naidu if he was ready for the same.KTR, as the minister is popularly known, was reacting to a report in a Telugu newspaper and a television channel that there are certain tapes which prove that he lured the legislators of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and other opposition parties to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) with money.He said Naidu can't escape from law by trying to project the case of his corrupt practices into a friction between two states. On registration of first information reports against Telangana chief minister in Andhra Pradesh, KTR said such cheap tactics would not save Naidu.The minister said despite being caught red-handed while offering cash to a nominated legislator in the legislative council elections, TDP leaders were targeting Chandrasekhar Rao under a conspiracy to defame.KTR wondered why Naidu, who speaks so much about value-based politics, did not open his mouth on the arrest of his party' deputy leader in Telangana assembly Revanth Reddy in cash-for-vote episode.On the audio tape of Naidu's alleged telephonic conversation with nominated member Elvis Stephenson, KTR said the law would take its own course. "Everybody is equal before law whether he is prime minister, chief minister or a common man," he said.The minister said the Telangana government has nothing to do with the audio tape. He challenged TDP leaders to prove that Naidu's phone was tapped. He said the audio tape could be conversation recorded on the phones of Stephenson and Sebastian Harry, one of the accused arrested in cash-for-vote case.Revanth Reddy was arrested by the ACB on May 31 when he was offering R.50 lakh cash to Stephenson to make him vote for TDP-BJP candidate in council elections. Sebastian and Uday Simha were also arrested in the trap laid by ACB on a complaint by Stephenson.With IANS