Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked the YSRCP government to unleash its anger, if any, on him and spare the Amaravati capital region. He invited the government to order an inquiry into alleged insider trading by the TDP government if they wanted to act and not resort to shifting the capital citing insider trading as a reason.
On Monday, Mr. Naidu visited the 24-hour hunger strike camp by Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao in the city in a show of solidarity with the farmers fighting against the relocation of the State Capital. CPI national leader K. Narayana also visited the camp and extended support to Mr. Rao.
‘People won’t forgive’
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Naidu said the Capital Region and the State would not forgive the YSRCP and its leaders if they continued with their plans of shifting the capital to Visakhapatnam. “People from various walks of life in Kurnool, Nellore, Ongole and other districts have formed Joint Action Committees expressing solidarity with the capital farmers and opposing shifting the capital to Visakhapatnam,” Mr. Naidu pointed out.
He said about ₹10,000 crore had already been spent in Amaravati for construction of several buildings. If the YSRCP government could not develop it further, it could just keep using the existing buildings which would be enough to house all the government functionaries.
Regarding the issue surrounding his alleged comments against Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration G.S.R.K.R. Vijay Kumar, Mr. Naidu denied disrespecting the former. “I always respect officials, unlike CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, of whom officers are scared,” he quipped.
Donations pour in
Mr. Naidu called upon youth and the people of the State to come forward and join the farmers in protest against shifting the capital.
Meanwhile, donations poured in to support the agitating capital farmers. A woman donated four gold bangles and another woman donated two bangles to Mr. Naidu. Many others donated thousands of rupees to the TDP chief.
A woman, Nagalakshmi, who gave away her finger ring as donation to Mr. Naidu, immediately asked for a help surprising everyone. “Worried after seeing the agitation by farmers during past few days, I came here to support the cause without the knowledge of my husband. I request you to ask my husband to excuse me for not informing him,” she told Mr. Naidu.
Mr. Naidu immediately responded and spoke to her husband Ramakrishna on the phone. He said: “I am Chandrababu Naidu. We are in a meeting here. Nagalakshmi garu came here and told me that she was out with your permission and also gave a ring as donation. You too should bless her and cooperate for the agitation.”
