VIJAYAWADA: Launching a blistering counter-offensive against the opposition YSRCP, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday asserted that the opposition party has degenerated into a “factory for manufacturing criminals” whose DNA is inherently rooted in violence, factionalism, systematic intimidation, and deliberate legal obstruction.
Addressing a media conference at his camp office in Undavalli, Naidu displayed a series of video clips juxtaposing the blatant local body election violence from the previous YSRCP regime with recent developments.
Drawing sharp comparisons, he likened their underground, remote-controlled political operation to notorious international syndicates, asserting that violence remains their primary instrument for political survival.
Directing a sharp attack at YSRCP chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Naidu called out his alleged double standards regarding constitutional authorities. Naidu accused Jagan of supporting bodies like the State Election Commission (SEC) or the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) when decisions favoured him and hypocritically attacking them when they did not.
Recalling the previous regime’s tenure, Naidu highlighted how the then-SEC commissioner was subjected to severe public vilification, legal challenges, and intimidation, to the point of needing central security protection.
Naidu expressed grave concern over the opposition’s exploitation of youth, alleging that Jagan is using Gen Z and aspirational youngsters as mere political pawns.
He warned that factional leaders mislead vulnerable youth into crime by drawing them into minor offences before entrenching them into hardened criminal networks.
“In my four decades of public life, I have never sat beside rowdies or patronised criminals. Misguiding youngsters instead of steering them toward a constructive future is unacceptable,” Naidu remarked, urging political leaders to act responsibly and protect the state’s youth.
Furthermore, Naidu accused the opposition of bringing gangs, rowdies, and criminals from Punjab, other states, and interstate networks to orchestrate violent flare-ups in places like Punganur and Rayachoti.
He named regions like Dharmavaram, Tirupati, Pulivendula, and Darsi, alleging that the opposition attempted to carry out unchecked criminal activities in these belts.
He also slammed the YSRCP for abusing judicial remedies, revealing that they filed around 60 petitions challenging local body poll processes, including opposing BC reservations.
Recalling the 2024 general election mandate, where the coalition secured a 94 per cent strike rate and 57 per cent vote share, Naidu stressed that winning local body elections is vital to strengthening grassroots leadership.
He presented comparative data showing that, under the YSRCP regime, 24 per cent of MPTC and 19 per cent of ZPTC posts were won unanimously through severe coercion, compared to just 2 per cent and 0.09 per cent in 2014.
In contrast, he noted that across the current municipal polls—including in Kuppam, Pithapuram, and Pulivendula—nominations were filed freely by all parties.
He also condemned extreme obstructionism, noting how opposition cadres went to the extent of digging up newly laid roads with tractors out of sheer malice.
Highlighting key electoral reforms, Naidu noted that direct elections for Mayors and Municipal Chairpersons were introduced to eradicate horse-trading and end “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram” culture.
He emphasised that candidate selection prioritised educated youth, women, and dedicated workers, giving over 63.6 per cent of seats to BC, SC, ST, and minority communities (with BCs alone securing over 35 per cent), framing the contest as a choice between “an educated, progressive lineup versus a ganja batch”.
He reiterated that Rayalaseema is being transformed into a Global Horticulture Hub, Amaravati resurrected as a world-class capital, and Swachh Andhra drives used to clear long-standing waste heaps.
He added that the state has issued title deeds with the official state emblem (Raja Mudra)—scrapping the controversial Land Titling Act—and granted absolute housing rights in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.
Concluding his address, Naidu asserted: “Violence is deeply embedded in their DNA. While I do not seek vendetta, I will never back down from confronting rowdies and criminals.
