Shankar Rao demands removal of Kiran and Botsa from their posts

Former minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Monday predicted that the Congress party would be washed out from the State in the ensuing by-elections if the High Command do not remove Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana from their posts. 

Talking to media persons at Congress Legislature Party office, Dr Shankar Rao said that the party has suffered huge damage due to attitude of Kiran Kumar Reddy and Botsa Satyanarayana. He said that the Congress party has received a major jolt due to transfer of Anti-Corruption Bureau Additional Director Srinivas Reddy who was heading the liquor syndicate probe. He said the transfer had an adverse impact on the government's image.

The former minister condemned Kiran Kumar Reddy's alleged comments that government employees were accepting bribe. Instead of controlling the administration, he said the Chief Minister has been making allegations against the government employees. He said that Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu lost power in 2004 as he acted against the interest of employees. He said the Congress party too would lose power if it acts against the government employees.

Dr Shankar Rao alleged that the Chief Minister has been suppressing the leaders who have launched campaign against corruption. He asked the Congress High Command to take action against Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Responding to high drama between TDP and Congress in Vizianagaram incident, the former minister said that the Congress suffered a huge damage due to an avoidable controversy. If the party do not remove the PCC chief against whom allegations have been leveled in connection with the liquor syndicate, he said that the party and government image would be drubbed in the ensuing elections.

Dr Shankar Rao appealed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to implement Congress emissary Vayalar Ravi's recommendations to strengthen the party in the State.