Stone hurled at Jagan Mohan Reddy ignites war of words among Andhra Pradesh parties

PTI, Apr 14, 2024, 4:26 PM IST

Image Source : YSRCP / X

Amaravati: The YSRCP and the TDP in Andhra Pradesh engaged in a war of words on Sunday after a stone was hurled at ruling party chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy when he was canvassing for votes, which left a small injury on his left temple.

The chief minister was hit by the stone on the left side of his head in Vijayawada on Saturday night while canvassing. The stone was allegedly hurled by some unknown persons at high speed, leading to a small cut.

YSRCP General Secretary S Ramakrishna Reddy claimed that the attack was a pre-meditated cold-blooded attack on the CM. “Who would have planned such an attempt? It stems from the insecurity that the TDP is experiencing as they are witnessing the response our leader is getting through the poll campaign, through the roadshows and ‘siddham sabhas’ (meetings),” he said, addressing a press conference.

Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu had recently instigated the crowd in his ‘prajagalam’ (canvassing) meetings to attack Jagan Reddy, and claimed that Naidu and his party would benefit if the YSRCP chief could not mingle with the masses.

“This leads us to presume that the TDP and their leader (Naidu) are responsible for the attack,” he said, adding that the injury is a fact and its location sensitive.

Further, he claimed that the opposition party is trying to downplay the incident due to the ”fear of exposure” and also resorting to making inhumane comments.

Meanwhile, YSRCP Nellore Lok Sabha candidate V Vijayasai Reddy alleged that Naidu ”never engaged in politics believing in development”.

“It has been proven again that he (Naidu) engages in cowardly politics, believing in violence and conspiracies,” Vijayasai Reddy in a post on social media platform X.

Ruling party leaders, ministers and others castigated Naidu and the TDP, claiming that the opposition party was involved in the attack on the CM.

Chandrababu Naidu condemned the attack on Reddy. “I strongly condemn the attack on Jagan. I request the Election Commission of India (ECI) to initiate an impartial and unbiased inquiry into the incident and punish the responsible officials,” he said in a post on X.

However, the TDP alleged that the attack on Jagan Reddy was stage-managed.

Backing Naidu’s appeal to the Election Commission to undertake an impartial and unbiased probe into the attack, TDP Spokesperson Pattabhiram Kommareddy questioned the timing and circumstances of the attack.

“It only tends to raise a question about the validity of an act like this when it is so coincidental, yet in sync. It wouldn’t be the first time that the YSRCP has staged such an act, much like the infamous ‘kodi kathi’ drama, not only for sympathy but to also create confusion and unrest, right when the elections are around the corner,” Kommareddy alleged.

Condemning the alleged attack on the CM, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Y S Sharmila said she believes it was accidental. However, if it was not so, she said, everybody should condemn it.

Sharmila said she is praying to god for the quick recovery of her older brother Jagan Reddy.

Ramakrishna Reddy said the ruling party would submit a representation to the EC to expedite the inquiry into the incident and unearth the facts.

Jagan Reddy is unperturbed by the attack he said, but he is taking rest today, pausing his ‘Memantha Siddham’ (We Are All Ready) election canvassing bus tour, to resume on Monday.