TDP State-wide bandh updates | Situation peaceful; TDP leaders taken into preventive custody

TDP activists being arrested by the police, when they tried to burn an effigy of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, in protest against the arrest of TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, outside the party office in Visakhapatnam on Monday. Photo K.R Deepak

Senior Congress leader and former MP G.V. Harsha Kumar on Monday said that TDP National President and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should now know the true colours of BJP, as his arrest was completely in its knowledge.

On Monday, Mr. Harsha Kumar visited the Rajamundry Central Prison campus, where he extended his solidarity to Mr. Naidu and the one-day bandh call given by the TDP. Mr. Harsha Kumar did not meet Mr. Naidu in the prison.

Speaking to newsmen at the Central Prison area, Mr. Harsha Kumar stated; “The BJP is well aware of the arrest of Mr. Naidu. However, Mr. Naidu should know the true colour of the BJP. No political party has extended its support to Mr. Naidu at the time of this crisis, as TDP had earlier supported the BJP policies. It is the sole reason for all the political parties to distance themselves from Mr. Naidu and the TDP”.

Strongly objecting to the portrayal of N. Chandrababu Naid as an economic offender, TDP Politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should, instead of deriving pleasure from the former CM’s judicial remand, think of his imminent disqualification from politics for allegedly indulging in massive corruption.

Mr. Reddy has earned about ₹2,50,000 lakh crore after becoming CM, he alleged.

“The courts will certainly award an exemplary punishment to Jagan Mohan Reddy for amassing wealth of about ₹1,00,000 crore when his father was the CM. The CBI already established the fact that Jagan acquired properties worth ₹43,000 crore through fraudulent means, and properties valued at nearly ₹5,000 crore were attached by the Enforcement Directorate. What more proof does one need to reach the conclusion that in reality Jagan Mohan Reddy, not Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, is the real economic offender”, Mr. Ramakrishnudu questioned.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) spokesperson Pattabhi Ram on Monday launched a scathing attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy over the arrest of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and called it a “political vendetta”.

Naidu was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday in connection to an alleged corruption case.

“It is a black day in the history of Andhra Pradesh. Chandrababu Naidu was illegally arrested and sent to jail without producing any kind of evidence in court. I have with me a copy of the remand report submitted by Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government. There is not even a single line in this report to prove that Chandrababu Naidu had committed any kind of corruption. It is purely a political vendetta,” the TDP spokesperson said.

“CM Jagan Mohan Reddy with the help of his police department had cooked up a false case without producing any kind of evidence,” he added.

ANI

Rush at besant road is as usual proving that the bandh call was not effective in Vijayawada. Credits: K.V.S. Giri

The Bharatiya Janata Party is wary of the consequences of supporting the State bandh called by TDP in protest against the arrest of N. Chandrababu Naidu in the backdrop of the likely realignment of political forces in the run-up to general elections even as Pawan Kalyan, the president of its alliance partner - Jana Sena Party (JSP) - has thrown his weight behind the main opposition party in its fight against the imprisonment of the former CM on corruption charges. Read more here.

Scores of people cutting across political parties were seen thronging the Rajamundry Central Prison on Monday, despite huge deployment of police personnel across the Rajamahendravaram City.

Women also gathered in good number to witness the happenings at the prison. Most of the visitors are making rounds on vehicles which are allowed through the central prison area.

All the educational institutions have declared holiday in the wake of bandh call in Rajamundry

All schools, colleges and many commercial establishments are closed in Guntur city. The protesters burnt tyres on the roads in Vinukonda and organised roads blocks in Narasaraopet of Palnadu district.

The Palnadu district TDP President G.V. Anjanayulu and other senior leaders in these districts were detained at their homes. The party cadre organised rallies in various towns in these three districts.

Tyres were also burned at Navuluru, Krishnayapalem, Yerrabalem and other areas in Amaravati capital city and staged protests. The leaders protested in front of Tadepalli police station in Guntur district.

Police imposed Section 144 under CrPC across the State.

Police took leaders into custody at Lodge Centre in Guntur, and shifted them to Arundalpet police station as they stopped the traffic briefly.

The bandh call given by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena and other opposition parties in the State had partial impact on the general public in Guntur, Palnadu and Bapatla district on Monday.

TDP and Jana Sena leaders along with their cadre organised protests at various places in the districts and the police placed additional forces in stand-by for emergency situations.

Leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) came on to the roads on September 11, and enforced bandh at several places protesting the arrest and judicial remand of former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, in the alleged Skill Development scam.

Protestors tried to stop APSRTC buses in Guntur, Prakasam, Eluru, West Godavari, Krishna, Chittoor, Parvathipuram and other districts as part of the bandh. Read more here.

Jana Sena Party JSP chief Pawan Kalyan on Sunday stated that his party would extend its support to the State bandh call given by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The State government was weakening all the systems in the State and taking anti-people decisions. The Opposition parties that are speaking in behalf of the people were being targeted. The government was slapping cases against the opposition leaders with a vendetta.

The JSP would continue to protest the undemocratic acts of the government. The JSP cadres were asked to take part in the bandh in a peaceful manner, he added. Read more here.