Hyderabad: Ministers in Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy`s cabinet on Thursday rallied behind their beleaguered colleague Mopidevi Venkata Ramana and termed his arrest by CBI in the disproportionate assets case as "sad".
"It is sad that our colleague Mopidevi has been arrested today. But we believe he has committed no wrong and so will come out (of the case) clean," a handful of ministers, led by PCC president and Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, said tonight after their meeting with the Chief Minister.
The ministers discussed the arrest issue and the fallout of it with the Chief Minister.
It is learnt that the ministers told Kiran that the issue would have an adverse impact on the Congress party as well as the government.
"It is Jagan who benefited from whatever dubious deals that happened but some ministers are facing the music now," the ministers reportedly told the CM.
The Chief Minister too is said to have termed Mopidevi`s arrest as unfortunate.
Botsa later told newsmen that he would report the factual position to the Congress high command.
"As ministers, we are responsible for the decisions taken by the Cabinet. But we can`t be held responsible for things that happen behind the scenes," he maintained.
Meanwhile, Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy, Major Industries Minister J Geeta Reddy and Information Technology Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah had a separate interaction with the Chief Minister.
These three ministers are also under the CBI scanner in connection with different corruption cases. While Sabita was already questioned by the CBI twice, the others too may be quizzed in the next few days. There is also speculation that these ministers too may face arrest like Mopidevi and thus their meeting with the Chief Minister assumed significance.
PTI
