Mohan Babu declares virtual war on AP CM

The confrontation in the ruling Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday sharpened with controversial Rajya Sabha member -- and popular film actor -- Mohan Babu asking the TDP disciplinary committee to withdraw the showcause notice issued to him.

The notice was issued for his alleged anti-party activities besides asserting his right to wage a war against corruption.

In his three-page reply to disciplinary committee convenor V Sobhanadeswara, the actor asked, "Is it good for the party to co-operate with me in my war against corruption or hound me out?"

Mohan Babu said his campaign against corruption was in accordance with the policies and principles of party founder, the late N T Rama Rao.

Terming the issue of the notice as "wholly unjustified", the MP accused the committee of having failed to cite any evidence in support of the "baseless and ambiguous allegations" against him.

Defending his fight against "hi-tech" corruption in the party and his "policy document" issued in Hyderabad on October 2, when he observed a fast over the issue, Mohan Babu cautioned the party leaders that they were running the risk of standing exposed in the eyes of the people by opposing his movement.

He also rejected the allegation, made in the showcause notice, that his stand would mislead the people about the party's policy decisions and would harm its image and interests.

Defending his right to dissent, he said there would be no democratic atmosphere in the party without debate.

The MP dismissed as baseless the charge that he had "distorted the collective decision taken in August 1995 to save the party from evil forces".

Admitting that he was a party to the ''August rebellion'', he said he was pained by the subsequent developments like scrapping of popular schemes introduced by NTR and the disparaging remarks made by a minister against the Telugu Desam founder at a party forum.

UNI