Congress leaders today strongly denied the allegations made by the YSR Congress party chief YS Jaganmohan reddy that the congress MLAs loyal to him were threatened by ministers on the occasion of the voting on the no-confidence motion.

Ministers Sailajanath, Botsa Satyanarayana and Vatti Vasanth Kumar denied the allegations at a media conference in Hyderabad saying there was no need for them to threaten any congress MLA.

Jagan on Tuesday told journalists that the congress MLAs loyal to him were threatened by some ministers and asked them to vote against the no-confidence motion.

“They are our party MLAs and we asked them to vote for the government during the no trust vote. We didn’t threaten them nor did we offer any bribes for them,” they said. “In fact, it was Jagan who lured them with the lucrative offer of bearing all the expenditure for them in the by elections if they voted in favour of the no trust vote,” said the ministers. “Jagan purchased them with money,” the ministers counter-charged.

Referring particularly to the allegation made against him, PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana said that he had an excellent rapport with Payakarao pet MLA Mr Babu Rao and talked to him freely in the assembly corridors.

“I asked Babu Rao about his vote. He said he would vote for the no-confidence motion as Jagan has promised him to bear all his by election expenditure,” Botsa said, adding, he then told them that they would try their luck at Payakarao pet only.

Botsa said the entire discussion was held in a lighter vein only and there was no question of threatening any one. (JUBS)