After attacks on party offices, Naidu seeks Central intervention

Naidu was scheduled to meet Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday to seek his intervention but the meeting could not take place due to Shah’s schedule, sources said, adding that Naidu will be returning to the captial soon for another meeting. On his 2-day visit, Naidu had on Monday led a TDP delegation to meet President Ram Nath Kovind and seek President’s Rule in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to a small group of mediapersons on Tuesday, Naidu said: “We need to fight to protect the state and its people…We are under attack because the TDP decided to expose the ruling government’s connections with drug mafia and the strengthening clutches of the liquor mafia. I am meeting the Home Minister…”

Miscreants pelted stones, attacked vehicles and ransacked several offices of the TDP last week. Naidu has alleged that the YSRCP government was trying to shield the culprits. Two FIRs have been filed in connection with the attacks so far.

Speaking to reporters, Naidu said he is “deeply concerned”about the state of affairs in Andhra Pradesh.

“Jagan (Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy) has destroyed the ecosystem. We are staring at a serious financial crisis. Fiscal management of the state is in doldrums. He has borrowed left and right.. Companies are becoming NPAs. The state is bankrupt and bills worth Rs 80,000 crore are pending just for the contractors… No money is being spent on infrastructure,” Naidu told The Indian Express when asked about concerns expressed over the number of freebies introduced by the Jagan government.

Naidu said the financial crunch has already forced the chief minister to downsize welfare schemes.

“Andhra is becoming a hub for drug activity…The Chief Minister had announced liquor prohibition but later changed it to restrictions which, in effect, was to allow his own firms to sell liquor.”

Speaking about his decision to break away from the NDA in 2018 on the issue of the bifurcated state’s special status, Naidu said he did it “keeping the state’s interests in mind.”

He added that TDP does not have any major differences – ideologically and politically – with the BJP on any other major issues. Asked if he regretted the decision to quit NDA ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, in which the TDP faced a major defeat, he said. “I did it for the state, but it’s true that people did not support us in the two elections,” he said.

Naidu, once known as kingmaker – he played a key role in picking I K Gujral and presidential candidates like K R Narayanan and APJ Abdul Kalam – admitted that he is not excited about the efforts of forging a third front led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. But when asked if he would still explore returning to the NDA, Naidu said: “We should explore it, otherwise others will exploit us.”