AP minister accuses colleagues of corruption

HYDERABAD: An Andhra Pradesh minister Thursday lodged a complaint with the governor against his two cabinet colleagues, accusing them of corruption.Textiles Minister P. Shankar Rao called on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to reiterate the allegations against Home Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy and Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana.A few hours before Reddy was scheduled to meet the governor to deny the allegations levelled by Shankar Rao recently, the textiles minister drove to Raj Bhavan to submit a letter to Narasimhan.Shankar Rao later told reporters that he informed the governor that the home minister indulged in corruption over postings of police officials. He also alleged that she resorted to corrupt practices when she earlier held the mining portfolio.The minister urged the governor to order a probe into corruption in various departments like home, excise, panchayat raj, industries and roads and buildings. He also complained that Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy did not respond to his demands for investigations.Rao's allegations have embarrassed the Congress government, which is already facing a crisis due to the ongoing "people's strike" in the Telangana region over their demand for a separate state.Taking suo moto note of Rao's allegations, the Andhra Pradesh High Court Tuesday observed that the ministers should be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).Justice L. Narasimha Reddy said that if allegations made against ministers by their own colleagues were not verified and investigated, the people's confidence in the system would be eroded.The opposition parties have urged the governor to take action against the ministers against whom the allegations of corruption were made by their own colleague.On the basis of two letters written by Shankar Rao to the chief justice, the high court earlier ordered a CBI probe into the wealth of YSR Congress Party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and the alleged irregularities by Emaar Properties in a township project.Shankar Rao has denied allegations of corruption against him aired on a television channel. "This is a political conspiracy against me. My fight against corruption will continue," he said.The minister said he would initiate legal action against the television channel.