VIJAYAWADA: Opposition leader and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu was reportedly detained at Tirupati airport in Renigunta while he was on his way to Tirupati and Chittoor towns to stage a protest against the alleged excesses of the ruling YSRC leaders on the TDP cadre to withdraw their nominations from the ensuing elections to Urban Local Bodies in Andhra Pradesh.
The police, who denied permission for the TDP chief to stage protests at both Tirupati and Chittoor, did not allow him to leave the airport.
Naidu squatted inside the airport and is reportedly staging a protest against the police denying permission and not allowing him to proceed to Tirupati town.
The TDP called for protests at Tirupati and Chittoor towns following allegations of ruling YSRC leaders exerting pressure on the party candidates to withdraw from the poll fray. The local TDP leaders sought permission for the protests at these towns but the police denied the same. Police placed TDP leaders from the district under house arrest and took several party activists into custody when they tried to reach Renigunta to welcome their leader.
Tension prevailed outside the airport with the police forcibly shifting TDP activists from the premises.
Naidu landed from Hyderabad around 9.35 am on Monday and as he was coming out, police detained him inside stating that permission was denied to his tour in view of the Model Code of Conduct in force and also under Covid-19 restrictions.
Naidu entered into a heated argument with the police and claimed that he was having permission from the Collector to tour Tirupati and Chittoor. Police, however, said they have not received any orders from the Collector and denied permission for Naidu to leave the airport. Naidu is still continuing his protest till the last reports came in.