VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday held a meeting with party leaders available at the Secretariat to discuss the latest political developments. According to party sources, leaders informed the Chief Minister that YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is scheduled to visit jail in Srikakulam on Thursday to meet former minister Seediri Appalaraju.
Responding to the development, Naidu said people enter politics to build institutions and strengthen democratic systems, but the YSRCP leadership was working to weaken institutions.
Naidu also accused the YSRCP of encouraging individuals involved in criminal activities and alleged that the opposition was attempting to politicise criminal cases instead of respecting the legal process. The Chief Minister questioned the message being conveyed by extending support to those accused of attempting to tamper with evidence in a criminal case. He also criticised the YSRCP leadership over an earlier road accident involving Pastor Praveen, alleging that the incident had been portrayed as a murder for political purposes.
Naidu said the allegations collapsed after CCTV footage and other evidence were made public, adding that individuals with criminal tendencies often attempt to shift blame onto others. The Chief Minister said that during the 2014-2019 TDP government, around 15,000 CCTV cameras were installed across Andhra Pradesh to strengthen crime prevention and investigation.
He alleged that many of the surveillance cameras became non-functional between 2019 and 2024 due to poor maintenance. However, after the coalition government assumed office, the CCTV network was restored, enabling police to identify offenders.