TDP seeks Andhra Guv's intervention to 'uphold' democracy

Amaravati: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Tuesday sought the immediate intervention of Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer to check the "unruly" regime of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and "uphold democracy" in the state.

Accompanied by the TDP State unit president, Atchannaidu, and others the TDP national general secretary, Nara Lokesh, called on the Governor and submitted an eight-page letter in which Lokesh explained how democracy is being "subverted" by the state government only to subject the leaders of Opposition parties to various kinds of "torture".

Lokesh explained how the Jagan Mohan Reddy government is causing "damage" to the harmonious social fabric of the peace-loving society in the State.

Stating that "regime revenge" is the hallmark of the "rogue regime" of Jagan Mohan Reddy, the TDP national general secretary said in the letter that the Chief Minister never loses even a single opportunity to demonstrate his "contempt for the Constitution, democracy and the rule-of-law".

Jagan believes in "elimination" of political opponents, he said.

"Spreading terror in every sphere of public life, the Chief Minister has been targeting openly the Leader of the Opposition, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, as he continues to be the strongest voice of public resistance against oppression and misgovernance," Lokesh said.

Alleging that the ruling party tried to "harm" Chandrababu physically several times, Lokesh said that the state government even "disrupted" his padayatra through numerous "physical attacks" and false police cases. Also, several TDP workers and senior leaders of the party have been "targeted" in the past four-and-half years, he mentioned in the letter.

The TDP national general secretary said that Chandrababu was "illegally arrested" when he was on a mass contact programme. Chandrababu's name did not figure in the FIR till he was picked up though the CID has been pursuing the case for the past two years.

"Chandrababu has been arrested on baseless charges in a cooked-up case pertaining to the Skill Development Corporation," Lokesh said and added that "coercing" the systems, Jagan managed to keep Chandrababu in the jail for 53 days "drawing sadistic pleasure".

The State Government has been trying to "implicate" Chandrababu in one false case or the other like Fibernet, free sand policy and liquor policy, Lokesh wrote in the letter.

Pointing out the remarks made by the YSRCP MP Gorantla Madhav, at a recent meeting that Chandrababu will be dead soon, Lokesh said Jagan and his party functionaries have been "openly threatening" Chandrababu.

Lokesh said that his Yuva Galam padayatra is "sought to be halted" through his arrest in "fake cases".