Cadres and supporters of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Thursday launched a 48-hour protest called Jana Aagraha Deeksha against the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) over alleged derogatory comments made by TDP spokesperson K. Pattabhiram against Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
YSRCP leader K.K. Raju initiated the protest at Gurudwara Junction demanding an apology from TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu. Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao also visited the protest site.
Speaking at the protest venue, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that the TDP has no political future left after having lost all the recent elections. “Even within the party, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu is facing stiff opposition from senior leaders to his plans of promoting his son Nara Lokesh. Having been cornered from all sides, Mr. Naidu is instigating his cadres to make derogatory comments against the Chief Minister just to ensure that the TDP finds itself in the news,” the Tourism Minister alleged.
Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari demanded that Mr. Naidu and other senior leaders tender an apology to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy. YSRCP city president Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav was present.
Araku MLA Cheti Phalguna took out a rally in Araku wearing black clothes protesting the remarks allegedly made by Mr. Pattabhiram. Paderu MLA K. Bhagya Lakshmi, Narsipatnam MLA P. Umashankar Ganesh, Anakapalle MLA G. Amarnath and other party members organised similar protests in their respective constituencies.
