Continuing his diatribe against YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for trying to politicise the recent “murder” of his uncle Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the family members of the deceased attempted to destroy evidence at the scene of crime.
Addressing public meetings at Vizianagaram, Kakinada and Visakhapatnam on Sunday, Mr. Naidu defended his government’s decision against handing over the case to the CBI as demanded by the YSRCP. He also saw public mood in favour of the TDP.
“Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, because of the tacit support of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, is being protected in various corruption cases. The NIA taking over from SIT the investigation into the attack on the YSRCP president is the case in point. Their aim is only to defame the TDP government. If the murder case is given to the CBI, it will only be watered down. The SIT probing the murder case will continue with its work and the accused will be booked soon,” Mr. Naidu said at the meeting in Vizianagaram.
“People were fed up with faction politics. That was why Y.S. Vijayamma was defeated in Visakhapatnam during the previous elections. We need to ensure a peaceful atmosphere in the State. We are going to wrest Pulivendula from Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy this time. TDP will emerge victorious in more than 150 out of 175 Assembly seats apart from 25 Lok Sabha seats,” Mr. Naidu added.
Dig at Modi
Turning his ire at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said he had done injustice to the State. “That was why the TDP walked out of the NDA. Unable to digest it, Mr. Modi is misusing the CBI, the ED, the Income-Tax department and other Central agencies to harass the TDP and its leaders,” he said. “Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy joined hands with both Mr. Modi and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. They are working against the interests of Andhra Pradesh. Do we need such leaders and their influence in our State? People should reject the unholy relationship between Mr. Reddy and Mr. Rao,” said Mr. Naidu. Listing his government’s achievements, Mr. Niadu said, “We enhanced the pension from ₹200 to ₹2,000, benefiting 55 lakh people. Schemes such as NTR Housing, farm loan waiver, and financial assistance to DWACRA groups benefited many families. Their support will ensure massive victory for the TDP,” he said.
Party leaders P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Meesala Geeta, Kolla Lalitakumari, and Mahanti Chinnam Naidu were present.
Call to workers
Mr. Naidu told party workers in Kakinada to ensure thumping majority for the contestants. “The TDP wave is clearly visible in the State,” Mr. Naidu said, and added that the good work done by the government would ensure a positive result in the elections. Announcing a competition to the party workers, he said, “I am going to facilitate the booth-level workers where the party nominee achieves highest majority.”
Stating that the strength of the TDP workforce was more than that of Emperor Alexander, Mr. Naidu said the party had an “army of 65 lakh, which will ensure the party’s victory.”
Vision for Vizag
At the meeting held on Sharada Bakery grounds in Visakhapatnam, Mr. Naidu described the party workers as “field-level warriors,” and said his confidence stemmed from that fact that the party workers stood by him through thick and thin.
Speaking of his vision to turn Visakhapatnam into a world-class city, Mr. Naidu recalled his contribution to restore normalcy post Hudhud and bring in revolutionary changes after the natural calamity in the form of LED street lights that resulted in huge savings to the GVMC, besides bringing laurels at the BRICS summit.
Describing the 98 lakh DWCRA women as his “sisters” and 65 lakh party workers as “yellow brigade,” and asking the 60 lakh pensioners to treat him as their “elder son,” he urged them to ensure TDP success.
