Naidu should be open to CBI inquiry into assets: Narayan

Lok Satta party president Jayaprakash Narayan today urged Telegu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu to prepare himself to face CBI inquiry into his assets, instead of levelling charges that Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and Congress have "ganged up" to target him.

Facing the CBI inquiry "is an opportunity to prove (his) innocence and once for all he can bury charges against him," Narayan told PTI on the sidelines of India Urban Conference at Infosys campus here.

"Public representatives should be prepared to face investigation in larger public interest," Narayan said. The Andhra Pradesh High Court yesterday directed the CBI and Enforcement Directorate to conduct an investigation into the assets of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who dubbed the petition as a "malicious attempt" to defame him.

 The court gave the order based on the petition filed on October 17 by YSR Congress honorary president and Pulivendula MLA Y S Vijaya. Naidu's TDP had charged that Vijaya's petition was part of a "witchhunt" launched by the Congress party in collusion with Jaganmohan Reddy. Regarding Naidu's allegation, Narayan said, "Both Congress and YSR Congress may have common interest to target Naidu, but it is irrelevant to the Indian citizens".