TDP chief flays Andhra Pradesh govt over FIR against him for fomenting attack on ruling YSRCP workers

Vizianagaram (AP): TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday hit out at the YSRCP-led Andhra Pradesh government for registering a police case and naming him as first accused for allegedly instigating an attack on ruling party members.

At a press conference in Vizianagaram, he questioned how the state government could dare to mark him as the first accused in the case. On Tuesday night, Annamayya district police registered a case against Naidu and several TDP leaders, including as Devineni Uma, Amaranatha Reddy, Rambhopal Reddy for allegedly instigating an attack on some local YSRCP leaders who had gone to submit a representation to the former CM at Angallu village. "I was attacked by some goons but again the case is also filed against me," Naidu claimed while calling for a CBI investigation to probe the "conspiracy".

He asserted that the facts of the case will come to light only when a probe by the central agency is conducted in all the incidents that took place in various parts of the state. The police case, filed by Umapathy Reddy, was registered at Mudiveedu police station under several Indian Penal Code Sections including 120B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting), and 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot). Prior to the violence in Punganur town on August 4 where more than 50 police personnel were injured, including one constable losing an eye and several cadres from the incumbent and opposition parties suffering injuries, police said Naidu egged on his supporters to attack YSRCP cadres.

According to Naidu, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is allegedly attempting to reap electoral benefit in the forthcoming assembly elections by filing false cases against him, as he dared the YSRCP regime to reply to the questions raised by opposition parties. The former chief minister, who is on his 'Yudha Bheri' tour to voice out against the YSRCP government's failure to complete irrigation projects, underscored that he is travelling across the state to inform people about the alleged corruption and injustice with regard to these works.

As part of the programme, Naidu said he was at Angallu village where he was allegedly attacked but lamented that an attempt to murder case was filed against him instead. Naidu alleged that while returning from a visit to Handri-Neeva irrigation project, YSRCP cadres obstructed and attempted to kill him, adding that resorting to such attacks has become a "habit" for the ruling party workers.