A day after YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy made unsavoury comments on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Ministers in his Cabinet and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders and cadres lashed out at him.
Telugu Yuvata activists burnt effigy of Mr. Jagan in the city on Friday. Reacting to the YSRC leader’s remarks, the TDP leaders sought to pay him in the same coin.
Ministers K. Atchannaidu and Nakka Anand Babu and MLC Payyavula Keshav at a press conference at the Secretariat wondered what moral right a person, who had spent several months in jail and still attends court every Friday in a dozen-scam related cases, had to talk about a visionary leader who had 40 years of political experience. It was quite unbecoming of Leader of the the Opposition to use such foul language.
They said they were not expecting compliments from Mr. Jagan, given his factional track record, but he should have some respect for a person who won accolades across the globe, not just winning the hearts of people in the State with his vision and development. Mr. Jagan did not care for Mr. Naidu’s age, experience and position. His deliberate babble and the kind of language which he used were solely to instigate the people.
Referring to Mr. Jagan’s assertion that he would make Nandyal a model city, they wondered if he wanted to make it like faction-ridden Pulivendula.
AP State Housing Corporation Chairman Varla Ramaiah, at another press conference, drew parallel between the mythological character Duryodhana and Mr. Jagan. Both were jealous of growth of others. Also, Mr. Jagan was desperate to become Chief Minister, but his dream would never come true. He would face people’s wrath if he did not mend his ways, he added.
MLA D. Narendra, Mahila Finance Corporation Chairperson P.Anuradha, TDP State secretary Gottipati Ramakrishna condemned Mr. Jagan’s remarks.
Telugu Yuvata leader Devineni Avinash and others burnt an effigy of the YSRC leader. They cautioned him that he would have to cross 70 lakh TDP workers to touch Mr. Naidu.