Lok Sabha Elections 2019: TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu hit back at YSR Congress leader YS Sharmila (File)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has questioned YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy and his sister YS Sharmila over their faith in the state police, saying how they would even think of contesting elections if they didn't trust the police in the state. Mr Naidu went on to ask them to behave like responsible citizens of Andhra Pradesh.
"How will you remain citizens of the state if you don't trust the state police? In that case, how can you contest the elections here?" Chandrababu Naidu said while addressing a press conference in Chittoor district.
Mr Naidu's comments came a day after YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy's sister YS Sharmila complained to the police that people with vested interests were carrying out false propaganda on social media, linking her name to that of Prabhas, the actor who played the central role in blockbuster Bahubali.
Ms Sharmila had accused the Telugu Desam Party of being the force behind the conspiracy. She said it was the result of a conspiracy to defame her ahead of the elections to get political mileage by the ruling Telugu Desam Party.
YS Sharmila rubbished the false propaganda linking her with the popular Telugu film actor Prabhas
Accompanied by husband Anil Kumar and some party leaders, the YSRCP leader filed a complaint with the chief of Hyderabad police Anjani Kumar. However, she also told reporters after meeting the Hyderabad police commissioner that she has no trust in the Andhra Pradesh Police.
"The TDP is known for spreading rumours and this is no different. They tried to defame my father by calling him a factionist and they were proved wrong,'' her statement read.
Condemning Ms Sharmila's allegation against his party, Chandrababu Naidu said that the TDP has never indulged in personal attacks and character assassination. He also reiterated that the state will challenge in court the Centre's move to order an investigation by the National Investigation Agency or NIA into the October 25 attack on Jaganmohan Reddy at Visakhapatnam airport.
"The Centre is trying to take away the state's rights. We will not allow this. We will fight for our rights," he said.
The NIA had on January 1 taken up the probe into the knife attack on Jagan Reddy, who had refused to give his statement to Andhra Pradesh Police, saying he does not trust them.
"Can you go to another country and demand inquiry into an incident which happened in India?" Mr Naidu questioned.
Chandrababu Naidu went on to allege that PM Modi, Jagan Reddy and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao have come together with the aim to damage Andhra Pradesh.
He further said that the TDP is the only party which has a right to seek votes in the coming 2019 general elections as it has undertaken more development and welfare schemes than revenue-surplus states like Telangana.
(With inputs from IANS)