The Telugu Desam Party is raking up the issue of office of profit to get “free publicity”, said YSR Congress Parliamentary Party chief Vijaya Sai Reddy with the Election Commission now examining his appointment as the special representative of the government of A.P. in Delhi in a Cabinet-rank position.
Mr. Reddy is a close aide of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the pointsperson to deal with the Central government. He was first appointed as the special representative on June 22 but the appointment was cancelled on July 4 after allegations of “office of profit” had started surfacing. On July 6 the State government issued an ordinance removing the post from office of profit. Following the ordinance, Mr. Reddy was reappointed as the Special Representative of the govt. of AP at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan.
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As per the order, Mr. Reddy as the Special Representative would be accorded the status of a State guest. He would not be entitled to any other perks.
The TDP had filed complaints to the Speakers in the Assembly and the Lok Sabha asking them to initiate disqualification procedures against Mr. Reddy. “They have ulterior political motive. They are doing it out of political vendetta and for free publicity.”