Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy held a protest in the national capital on Wednesday, accusing the State’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government of unleashing violence against his party. Several leaders from the Opposition INDIA bloc visited Mr. Reddy at Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with him, including Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
The YSRCP also exhibited photos and videos of its workers, whom it claims were injured in a recent spate of attacks, allegedly at the behest of the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh.
Mr. Reddy singled out Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s son and Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh, accusing him of spearheading these attacks and encouraging a breakdown of law and order in the State. Alleging that more than 30 YSRCP workers have been killed, he said that democracy is endangered by such vendetta politics. “What is the plight of Andhra Pradesh today? More than 30 people dead, more than 300 murder attempts, over 100 incidents of assault in the State... We asked all political parties here to see for themselves,” he said.
Shifting alignment
The presence of INDIA bloc leaders at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday signals a clear shift in the YSRCP’s political alignment. For the last ten years, though the YSRCP never formally joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, it has leaned in favour of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government both inside and outside Parliament.
Apart from the SP chief, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, the Trinamool Congress’ Nadimul Haq, and the AIADMK’s M. Thambidurai were among those who condemned the alleged attacks on YSRCP workers in Andhra Pradesh.
“I would not have known the truth had I not seen the photographs and videos. Those in power should maintain simplicity, listen to others, and not take their lives,” Mr. Yadav said.
Mr. Raut said that in a democratic set up, differences have to be settled at the ballot box and not through violence. “This is a dangerous trend of vendetta politics. But unfortunately the trend these days is to capture power to physically annihilate their opponents. YSR Congress has been with the BJP for ten years and it is unfortunate that they are facing such brutal attacks,” Mr. Raut said.
Fake drama, says TDP
Mr. Thambidurai, who also paid a visit to Mr. Reddy, drew a parallel to Tamil Nadu which is ruled by the DMK, a member of the INDIA bloc. The AIADMK leader claimed that in the last 200 days, 595 people have been killed in the State at the hands of the ruling DMK. “We are requesting the Central government to take action. This kind of atrocities, be it in A.P. or T.N., should be stopped,” he said.
Several other leaders, including Mr. Haq and Ms. Chaturvedi, urged the Governor of Andhra Pradesh and the Supreme Court to take note of the matter.
The TDP, which is in power in Andhra Pradesh as well as a constituent of the NDA government at the Centre, dismissed the YSRCP’s allegations as “fake drama”. TDP MP Byreddy Shabari refuted Mr. Reddy’s claims of 30-odd deaths in the State. “When he was Chief Minister, he was not to be seen anywhere. Neither the people of Andhra Pradesh and not even his own MLAs had access to him. And today, he is sitting in Delhi, making all these false claims,” Ms. Shabari told The Hindu.
