TD MLAs Lead Flash Protest in Vizag over Naidu's Arrest

Visakhapatnam: Telugu Desam MLAs Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and Ganta Srinivasa Rao led hundreds of party workers in a flash procession from the TD office to Dr Ambedkar’s statue near RTC Complex on Saturday.

The opposition legislators gave no prior intimation to police or party workers. They just called TD activists to the party office for an urgent meeting. Once everyone gathered, the leaders suddenly announced taking out of the procession followed by a dharna at the Ambedkar statue.

Caught unawares, police rushed to the venue of the dharna. This led to scuffles between the police and TD workers. But no arrests have been made.

Addressing party workers, former minister and Visakhapatnam North MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao said their party president N. Chandrababu Naidu has been sent to jail after foisting false cases against him.

“Earlier, YSRC leaders said the scam involved hundreds of crores. Now, they have changed the figure to ₹26 crore. We are ready for debate with YSRC on this issue,” Srinivasa Rao said. He asserted that Naidu will come out of jail clean.

Telugu Mahila president and politburo member Vangalapudi Anitha accused Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of ruling the state with the help of police. “It is a pity that it has become the duty of police to knock on doors of TD leaders during early hours of the day every day,” she remarked.

Local MLCs Duvvarapu Rama Rao and Vepada Chiranjeevi Rao, apart from presidents of parliamentary constituencies of Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli – Palla Srinivasa Rao and Buddha Naga Jagadish – were present.