VISHAKHAPATNAM: “Let him first wash off the dirt he is into out of greed. Why talk about others,” was the sharp reaction from ruling YSR Congress MP from Visakhapatnam, MVV Satyanarayana, against his fellow MP, V Vijayasai Reddy.
Vijayasai Reddy sprang a surprise during his press conference on Tuesday by referring to Satyanarayana’s housing project in Kurmannapalem in the city. He said this was an “unheard-of land development agreement,” according to which the land owner will get one per cent and builder 99 per cent of the shares.
Reddy wondered why the media was not exposing such deals. He warned of legal action against another housing project of the Lok Sabha member if it was found that he violated norms.
In an interview to Deccan Chronicle, Satyanarayana said Vijayasai Reddy’s family was acquiring properties by hook or by crook in the coastal city.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Your own party MP raised serious questions about your housing projects.
A: I have been a realtor – and I started it much before entering electoral politics. There were several claimants to the property and all of them approached me with proposals. The issue got resolved by mutual consent at a Lok Adalat in 2017 when I wasn’t an MP.
Q: But, a senior leader of your party says a builder appropriating 99 per cent of the share is unheard of.
A: When he defends the Dasapalla agreement ratio, stating that it was between the owner and the developer, the same logic applies here too. There is no rule defining the ratio. Unlike him, I am doing my project on private land and not trying to grab any government land. We had fought against the grab of government land while we were in the opposition.
Q: Do you see a scam in the Dasapalla lands deal?
A: The YSR Congress launched an ideological war against Telugu Desam, using the insider trading charge in Amaravati as a weapon. We found fault with TD leaders who bought lands there. How different is their action from Vijayasai Reddy’s daughter buying properties left, right and centre, by hook or by crook, in and around Visakhapatnam?
Q: He says her in-laws are wealthy and investing in real estate.
A: We should look into the nature of the lands they are owning and the benefits being accrued to the owners who otherwise have been denied the right for decades. Everyone knows the methods employed by his men. They are sitting in a guest house to lay their hands on such properties. Some lands were in D Patta category and some in 22A.
Q: Why do both MPs differ and openly quarrel?
A: I am a man of self-respect. He likes Ghulamgiri, which I cannot. He thinks I was instrumental in media reports about his family members acquiring properties. I am least interested in such cheap politics.
Q: Vijayasai Reddy threatened to enter the real estate business if he is confronted again.
A: He announced his foray into the media, real estate and what not. He just stopped short of announcing the launch of a new political outfit.
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