Stone-pelting incident looks like a drama, says Naidu

The TDP chief sees strong anti-incumbency wave in State, says the alliance government will ensure that the VSP privatisation proposal is shelved

An ‘axe’ is the best election symbol suited for the YSRCP and not the ‘fan’, observes Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Addressing the Praja Galam public meeting in Gajuwaka Assembly segment under the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday, Mr. Naidu alleged that “Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy knows nothing but cheating and chasing away people with sharp weapons like axe.”

“The murder of Mr. Jagan’s paternal uncle and former MP Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy shows the extent to which Mr. Jagan can go. His own sister Y.S. Sharmila (who is also APCC president) and cousin and daughter of the slain leader Suneetha Narreddy have been publicly claiming that Mr. Jagan is behind the murder,” Mr. Naidu said. “So, ‘axe’ is the right symbol for the YSRCP,” he added.

Referring to stone-pelting incident in Vijayawada on Saturday in which Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was injured, Mr. Naidu said, “The incident looks like a drama as it occurred at a time when power supply was cut. The Chief Minister has not taken any action against the electricity officials concerned and the police in the last 24 hours, indicating that it is just a drama.”

Reacting to the alleged pelting of stones at him at the meeting, Mr. Naidu said, “It is the handiwork of the YSRCP activists at the behest of Mr. Jagan. Stones have allegedly been thrown at JSP chief Pawan Kalyan too in Tenali. Mr. Jagan did not condemn these incidents.”

Comparing the development witnessed in the State under TDP and YSRCP terms, he appealed to the people to take the right decision while casting their vote on May 13.

“I have seen anti-incumbency wave thrice in my political career, in 1983, 1994 and 2024,” Mr. Naidu said.

Referring to the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Mr. Naidu said the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance would ensure that the proposal was shelved after the NDA government comes to power.

He appealed to the people to vote for M. Sribharat for the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat and Palla Srinivasa Rao for the Gajuwaka Assembly segment and ensure they win with a huge majority.

Earlier, Mr. Naidu addressed a similar meeting in Payakaraopeta Assembly segment in Anakapalli Lok Sabha constituency, wherein he urged the voters to cast their franchise in favour of Vangalapudi Anita in Payakaraopeta Assembly segment and C.M. Ramesh in Anakapalli Lok Sabha segment.

Paying tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on the occasion on his birth anniversary, Mr. Naidu stressed the importance of the ’Right to Vote’ for a clean governance.