I-T raids at TDP MP's homes, offices in AP and Telangana

Amaravati/Hyderabad: The Income Tax department Friday conducted searches at premises of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Rajya Sabha member CM Ramesh in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, sources said.

The MP termed the raids as a "political vendetta."

Raids began Friday morning at Ramesh's residence in his native village Yerraguntala in Kadapa district.

Simultaneously, his Jubilee Hills residence and his business firm Ritwik Projects' office in Hyderabad were also raided by a team comprising 10 I-T sleuths.

"Searches are being conducted at residences of C M Ramesh in Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh. I-T officials are also verifying records at his residence and office in Hyderabad also. It is a routine one.. No significance is attached to this," the sources in the I-T department said.

Condemning the raids, the TDP said it was "pure political vendetta" as Ramesh had been vociferously fighting for the state's causes in Parliament.

"This is an attack on the Andhra people. The Modi government has been adopting a vengeful attitude as we have been demanding that all promises made for AP be fulfilled," Information Technology Minister N Lokesh charged in a tweet.

The raids were aimed at preventing the flow of investments into the state by scaring away industrialists, he alleged.

The minister also asserted that there would be no going back till the demand for grant of special category status to AP was met.