VIJAYAWADA: Launching a scathing attack against TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, former minister and YSRC MLA Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) accused Naidu of concluding 2022 and starting 2023 “with killing innocent people.”
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Nani alleged, “It is Naidu’s craze for publicity that led to the deaths of the people.” The former minister called Naidu a ‘Nara Rupa Rakshasudu’ who brought bad luck to Guntur on New Year day.
Alleging that poor women were lured with sarees and essential commodities that would last for a year, the YSRC leader said, “The event was used as a platform to criticise Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy rather than helping the poor.” Stating that the programme was nothing but a publicity stunt, Nani claimed, “The women were given a saree worth Rs 250 to Rs 300 and commodities which would last just for a week.” “Women should be wary of Naidu and ensure the latter’s defeat in the 2024 elections,” he said.
Referring to the stampede in Nellore’s Kandukur where eight TDP workers died, Nani said the public meeting was organised abutting a canal on a narrow road. “The path became further congested as party cadre erected banners welcoming their leader,” Nani said.
Reacting to the incident, Perni Venkataramaiah, also a former minister, said the TDP leaders began blaming Vuyyuru Foundation and announced that Naidu had no connection with the tragedy. “Why did the TDP leaders resort to cheap politics and issue 30,000 coupons when they took permission from the police for organising a public meeting with 10,000 people?,” he questioned.
Accusing Naidu of playing havoc with people’s lives by distributing free gifts and resorting to cheap politics, Venkataramaiah remarked, “This shows the TDP chief’s self-promotion activity.”
Perni Nani lashes out
Accusing Naidu of playing with the lives of the people by giving free gifts, Perni Nani said, “This shows Naidu’s self-promotional activity”