Won’t be cowed downby threats, says Naidu

Former Chief Minister and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu has reiterated the party’s commitment to fight for the cause of ‘Amaravati as one and only capital’ and to stand by the people to counter what he called ‘the betrayal’ of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Participating in the party’s ‘Praja Chaitanya Yatra’ at Kuppam, the constituency which he represents, on Monday, Mr. Naidu said that he would not be cowed down by the threats of the YSRCP leaders in his mission for Amaravati. Terming Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy as ‘Tughlaq’, Mr. Naidu said that it was ridiculous that for the first time in the world, he (Jagan Mohan Reddy) resorted to the three-capital move.

Mr. Naidu said that the YSRCP leaders were spreading Pulivendula-mark rowdism in the State, and leading physical attacks and forcing false police cases against the TDP activists and leaders. “I know how to fight. I am not a coward like Jagan Mohan Reddy,” he said.

The TDP chief said that when the daughter of Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy was demanding for a CBI inquiry into her father’s death, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was making move against it, though he too had demanded for CBI inquiry before the elections.

Mr. Naidu deplored that the YSRCP government had betrayed the people by watering down the TDP government’s schemes, including Anna Canteens.

Referring to the incident of burning his effigy at Dravidian University at Kuppam recently, Mr. Naidu said that if he would prompt his cadres to retaliate, it would be difficult for the government to control them. “Both Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy undertook ‘padayatras’ during my regime as Chief Minister, but we never stooped to the level of creating hurdles to them,” he said.

Mild tension

Earlier, mild tension prevailed at 7th Mile Junction near Shantipuram mandal headquarters in the afternoon, when some YSRCP cadres tried to block the convoy of Mr. Naidu. The TDP cadres rushed to the spot, and entered into heated argument with them. The police intervened and pacified both groups. Unlike Mr. Naidu’s earlier visit to Kuppam post party’s debacle, his Monday’s visit witnessed presence of party activists in large numbers from all over Kuppam constituency.