TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday warned the YSRCP leaders and government officials taking sides that they would have to incur his wrath when his party returned to power in the next elections.
He minced no words when he said that those harassing his party workers would be paid in their own coin.
Paying for loyalty
For nearly three hours, victims, claiming to have suffered at the hands of the YSRCP men, or officials at the behest of the powers-that-be, poured out their grievances before Mr. Naidu.
The party listed as many as 275 persons as victims, more than half of whom got an opportunity to speak out during the marathon meet. About 83 families owing allegiance to the TDP had reportedly become victims of official harassment, while 39 false cases had been foisted against the party workers and leaders on various grounds, they said.
Apart from physical assaults, several workers complained of police harassment on dubious charges and some rued of threat to their businesses. Many party activists, privately told The Hindu that they had lost a lot personally due to their association with the party and it was for the party to come to their rescue at this crucial hour.
‘Show gratitude’
Mr. Naidu, who took up review of Punganur, Palamaner, Srikalahasti, Satyavedu and Chittoor Assembly constituencies, warned that the YSRC leaders would have been nowhere around, had the TDP thought of oppressing the Opposition during its rule. “People voted for you expecting good governance. Now it is time for you (YSRC) to show gratitude to them by working for their development. Instead, you are busy attacking our men,” he fumed.
Reacting to complaints of embezzlement of public funds and encroachments of public property, he accused the ruling party leaders at all levels of being avaricious and trying to become millionaires overnight by resorting to corruption at alarming levels.
Private cases likely
When victims brought specific instances to his notice, Mr. Naidu turned his ire on public servants - especially Circle Inspectors and tahsildars - indicating that the party would file private cases against such erring officials and dared them to prove their innocence in the court of law.
