By  Narendra

Hyderabad  (Hindusthan Samachar ) : The indictment of Congress Rajya Sabha member from Andhra Pradesh by Chicago jury in US, is causing severe embarrassment to both Congress and its rival YSR Congress Party. The Rajya Sabha member Dr KVP Ramachadnra Rao was indicted by a federal grand jury along with an Indian-American businessman and four other foreign nationals.

This was announced by the US Justice Department only on Wednesday. The jury had given its judgment in June 2013. His name figured in an alleged international conspiracy to bribe state and central government officials in India to allow mining of titanium minerals.

Dr. Ramachandra Rao was a close associate of now-deceased chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr YS Rajasekhara Rao. In his government with an official status of `advisor to chief minister’, he played key role in all decisions, particularly related to contracts, postings, policy matters related to industrial groups.

He has been closely associating with Dr Reddy since college days and was also known as `de-facto’ power center in latter’s government. He was called as `atma’ (heart) of Rajasekhara Reddy.  Only last month he was re-elected to Rajya Sabha as Congress candidate from the state.

As this episode exposing alleged corrupt practices in Dr Rajasekhara Reddy’s regime, the YSR Congress Party is also now locked in embracing position. The party was floated by his son YS Jaganmohan Reddy, after revolting against Congress leadership for denying him chance to become Chief Minister of the state as `political successor’ to his father.

However, Dr Ramachadnra Rao was cool with the media about this development. Stating that he was not aware of it, he said he had not received any communication.

Former finance minister and senior TDP leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu commented that with this case revealed that YS Rajasekhara Reddy regime’s corrupt practices extended to foreign countries. He suggested that suitable amendment should be made to the people’s of representative act barring `economic offender’s like YS Jaganmohan Reddy and KVP Ramachandra Rao. “This is glaring example to show how Rajasekhara Reddy earned crores of rupees for his `atma’ and son”, he added.

Dr Rao is still having rapport with Congress high-command. According to Congress sources, he played key role in the constitution of two state Congress committees for Telangana and Seemandhra.

Though opposition parties have been accusing his role in all corrupt activities during  Rajasekhara Reddy regime, against which CBI was conducting investigation and made Reddy’s son Jaganmohan Reddy as a prime accused, his name did not figure in any. The Opposition party leaders on several occasions demanded inclusion of his name in those cases and also his arrest.

Political circles aware of his manipulative skills are of the view he remained with Congress without following Jaganmohan Reddy in formation of YSR Congress Party,  only to get away from those cases. Now for the first time landing in an unprecedented US case, will only provide ammunition to the opposition irrespective of truth in allegations.