TDP continues protests across Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday continued its protests across Andhra Pradesh against the “illegal” arrest of its supremo and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Skill Development Corporation case.

For a fifth consecutive day, the TDP cadres took to the streets to condemn the arrest of their leader and to demand his immediate release.

The protests led to tension in a few districts as the police detained the protesters for defying prohibitory orders banning assembly of four or more persons.

The TDP leaders undertook relay hunger strikes in all the districts on Wednesday as part of the state-wide protest with the slogan ‘Babu tho nenu’ (I am with Babu).

In Naidu’s home district Chittoor, a large number of TDP leaders and workers sat on relay hunger strikes at various places. The protesters raised slogans against Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Former MLA Sugunamma, who was leading the relay hunger strike in Tirupati, alleged that the YSR Congress Party government was targeting Naidu out of political vendetta. She said the protests would continue till Naidu’s release.

Several TDP leaders and workers were participating in relay hunger strike at Kavali town in Nellore district.

TDP state vice-president Jyothula Nehru was leading the protest at Jaggampeta in Kakinada district. Former minister Devineni Uma was participating in relay hunger strike at Mylavaram.

Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Rammohan was leading relay hunger strike at TDP’s NTR district office. Similar hunger strike camps were held at Guntur, Nandigama, Gudivada and other places.

There was tension during the TDP protest in Visakhapatnam. Police arrested MLA V. Ramakrishna Babu, former MLA P. Srinivasa Rao and other leaders. The TDP leaders slammed the police for its action.