HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has announced a comprehensive probe into "large-scale land dealings by individuals and realtors around Hyderabad and other urban centres in the State" to scan dubious deals and irregularities.

Dr. Reddy directed Chief Commissioner of Land Acquisition A. Raghottama Rao on Saturday to undertake the task immediately to find out the fate of assigned and Government lands following reports of dubious deals.

He said he was surprised to find the name of Akula Rajaiah (who is in the news for his land deals) being referred to as a Congress leader. "His married daughter contesting the ZPTC election on the Congress ticket does not make Rajaiah a Congress leader. More so, when he is linked more to the TDP and the Leftists," he said.

Denies charge

Dr. Reddy dismissed the allegation that the Government had agreed to the World Bank conditionalities as "a listless exercise of the depressed Opposition." Extending an open invitation to see the copy of the agreement with the World Bank, he said: "Theirs is an identity crisis."

He said the Bank was only interested in knowing whether the Government was committed to reforms initiated by late Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and P. V. Narasimha Rao.

"We are committed to reforms, but the question of privatisation of any sector does not arise," he said.

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