Kuppam tour: Chandrababu Naidu accuses police of 'inaction against rampaging YSRCP cadres'

Tension prevailed in Kuppam on Thursday as the TDP and YSRCP groups clashed for dominance during the tour of former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in his Assembly constituency.

Some YSRCP men vandalised part of a food kiosk “Anna Canteen” set up by the TDP leaders in the town, to be inaugurated by Naidu. The TDP chief, who was on the second day of his visit in Kuppam, sat on a protest demonstration along with party leaders, and cadres.

"Today is a black day in the history of Kuppam," Naidu commented while accusing the police of “miserably failing in the discharge of their duty.”

"Had the police performed their duties, the YSRCP goondas would not have dared to destroy the canteen. The attackers were taken to their houses and not to the police station,” Naidu said.

Stating that TDP would not be scared by such attacks, Naidu said that “if such a scene is repeated, the TDP activists will not hesitate to enter their houses for counter-attacks." The former CM said that his party will take up the fight against the YSRCP in a legal manner.

Naidu, who has been the Kuppam MLA for seven terms, said that the Jaganmohan Reddy government is discriminating the Assembly segment “as he is representing the constituency.”

"I am of the opinion that politics and governance are different, and I never showed any discrimination towards the voters in Pulivendula (Jagan's constituency) though they have constantly defeated TDP," Naidu stated.

Naidu said he wanted to develop Pulivendula on the lines of Kuppam. "But you (Jagan) are turning Kuppam like Pulivendula." While Jagan has targeted to capture Kuppam, Naidu predicted that YSRCP would lose even in Pulivendula in the next elections. "Leave aside the dream of winning 175 segments, you can not win even the Pulivendula seat," Naidu said.

Naidu said that no steps were taken to complete the works on Handri-Neeva project, housing units initiated during the TDP regime in Kuppam. "We had spent over Rs 100 crore on the housing project for the poor and only some works were remaining. But the YSRCP government has not moved to complete it."

The TDP government allocated Rs 1,350 crore to repair all the tanks in Kuppam constituency and released about half the amount. "This government cancelled the orders allocating Rs 1,350 crore and is now saying it will release only Rs 65 crore,” Naidu pointed out.