Mangalagiri: TDP seeks president rule in state

Mangalagiri: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu here on Wednesday termed AP as a fit case for the invocation of Article 356 as the law and order has completely collapsed due the connivance of the ruling party and the police force. He appealed to the national and regional parties to take note of the anarchy prevailing in the state and support his call.

Addressing media in the aftermath of a string of attacks on TDP offices in the state on Tuesday for its demand for action against the drug mafia, Naidu also called for a bandh in the state on Wednesday "in support of democracy as against mobocracy".

He appealed to all sections of people to voluntarily take part in the bandh and express their protest against the atrocities and misdeeds of the ruling YSRCP leaders. He termed the attacks on his party offices as 'state-sponsored terrorism' against democracy aimed at wiping out the Opposition voices in the State.

Anguish writ large on the face, Naidu asked whether a better reason was required to invoke Article 356 to impose President's Rule in the state. The DGP Office was located just 100 yards from the TDP central office, which was attacked and ransacked by the YSRCP goons. Three TDP activists suffered severe bleeding injuries and were admitted to intensive care, he said.

"I personally called DGP at 5.03 pm but he did not pick up the phone. Our party office staff called the local police station but in vain. The attack finally took place at 5.16 p.m. This was totally a result of the collusion of the Government and the AP police," he added.

Chandrababu Naidu accused Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and DGP Gautam Sawang as having jointly masterminded the latest attacks. He reiterated that the TDP would overcome the tough challenges. The TDP chief said that the Governor and the Union minister answered his call when he sought to explain about the attacks. But the AP DGP had no time to lift the call made by the AP Opposition Leader.

Naidu asked how the CM and the DGP could save law and order all over the state when they could not prevent mob attacks in the areas located nearer to their own offices and residences.

He said the YSRCP government and the AP police were jointly presiding over a terror rule in the state. The DGP should resign and go home if he cannot ensure law and order and peace to the people, he demanded.

Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan of Janasena too lashed out at the state Government and said the Opposition and the people could not be browbeaten by the ruling party. He warned the government of consequences if it continued its vindictive attitude against them.