Members of the opposition parties from Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts condemned the arrest of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu in the AP Skill Development Corporation scam, here on Saturday. Extending support to Mr. Naidu, a large number of TDP activists staged protests at various places against the YSRCP government.
A number of TDP leaders staged a protest at Telugu Thalli statue near Maddilapalem Junction. Raising slogans against the YSRCP-led government, the TDP leaders termed Mr. Naidu’s arrest as illegal. They also demanded immediate release of Mr. Naidu. Police teams detained them. Similarly, dharnas were staged at Old Gajuwaka, Isukathota, Gopalapatnam, Vadlapudi, Padmanabham, Anandapuram, Simhachalam and a few other areas. TDP supporters who were detained and kept at various police stations staged protests outside the police stations. A candle light peace protest was staged by the TDP leaders at the party office in the evening.
TDP supporters burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Kotlavuratla mandal in Anakapalli district and raised slogans against the government. Many TDP leaders staged protests near NTR Statues in Anakapalli mandal and Yelamanchali.
Former MLA and senior BJP leader P. Vishnu Kumar Raju questioned what was the need to arrest Mr. Naidu during the midnight. Condemning the arrest, he said that if police would have asked Mr. Naidu to come for questioning. Speaking to a section of the media, Mr. Vishnu Kumar Raju also condemned the police stopping Mr. Nara Lokesh from meeting his father.
Condemning the arrest, Jana Sena Party (JSP) Political Affairs Committee (PAC) member Kona Tata Rao said that Mr. Jagan’s only goal is to stifle the voices of the opposition party leaders. He said that Mr. Jagan did not want opposition parties at all. Mr. Tata Rao said that last year, the YSRCP government had troubled JSP chief K. Pawan Kalyan by not allowing him to meet the public.
TDP North Andhra Graduates MLC V. Chiranjeevi addressed a press conference at the TDP office and said that this is a pre-planned arrest by the YSRCP government. Even before leaving for London, Mr. Jagan had prepared a script and the officials executed it, he alleged. Mr. Chiranjeevi said that it is very unfortunate to how the government arrested a former Chief Minister without following any rules, during midnight. He also said that the YSRCP leaders are unable to digest the reception for the Naidu’s programmes, which led them to prepare a script and arrest Mr. Naidu.
Members of CPI(M) Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts released a note condemning the arrest of Mr. Naidu. They extended their support to the TDP leaders.
