Amaravati: Chandrababu Naidu justifies staging stir at Speaker's podium

Amaravati: TDP national president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, for throwing traditions to the wind in the House and refusing a meaningful debate.

Naidu, who was suspended along with 13 of his MLAs in the House for staing a sit-in near the Speaker's podium, defended his move terming it "in the interest of the farming community".

"I have done this for this first time in my long career. I never did it earlier. I was left with no options and hence, did it now," he said calling the Chief Minister "a fake CM" who had no commitment to the people.

"People had fallen for Jagan's fatuous statements and gave him 151 MLAs out of 175 in the state," he said.

Talking to the media at party state office at Mangalagiri, the TDP chief said he never foresaw himself entering the podium. 'For the first time in my long career, I faced suspension. I faced this for the sake of the farmers who were suffering greatly on account of severe crop losses. Crop losses were there in over 20 lakh to 25 lakh acre in the past one- and-a-half years. The Chief Minister is not taking any steps to mitigate their problems."

Naidu was surprised that the House did not convene till Jagan arrived. "The Assembly or Parliament would not wait for any leader as they have a Constitutional sanctity. In addition, the Chief Minisetr was laughing at our deputy leader," he said.

Giving details of crop damage, he said the government did not have a plan for crop insurance. He said Parliament records said that AP claimed crop insurance and no one knows where it had gone. Whatever are the challenges, the TDP shall continue to fight for the farmers welfare, he said.

He reminded the Chief Minister that YSRCP "can not continue its atrocities against BC, SC and ST and minorities and expect us to keep quiet."