Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu retaliated against his predecessor YS Jaganmohan Reddy in the state assembly today, comparing him to Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar. The attack came a day after a protest by Mr Reddy in Delhi -- an exhibition of photos and videos of the violence in the state at the India International Centre. He has alleged that Mr Naidu and his party has been targeting the workers and leaders of his YSR Congress.
"Pablo Escobar is a Colombian drug lord, he is a narco terrorist. He turned politician and then started his cartel to sell drugs. He earned 30 billion dollars at that time, now it is worth 90 billion dollars. He was arrested in 1976 and in 1980 he became the number one richest drug lord in the world. One can become richer by selling drugs as well," Mr Naidu said in the assembly today.
"What was the aim of former Chief Minister (YS Jaganmohan Reddy)? Tata, Reliance, Ambani have money and he aspired to become richer than them. Few have needs, few have greed and few have mania and these maniacs do these kinds of things," he added.
Mr Naidu's Telugu Desam Party said over the last five years, Andhra Pradesh has become the drug capital of the country and alleged the Chief Minister had a role to play in it. Mr Reddy already has multiple criminal cases against him, including an attempt to murder case that was filed earlier this month. The case was filed after a complaint by TDP MLA from Undi assembly constituency, K Raghurama Krishna Raju.
YSR Congress Party spokesperson Konda Rajin Gandhi said the TDP is under the impression that the "elections are not over". The TDP, he added, is trying to divert attention from the ongoing violence in the state, which Mr Reddy has already flagged in Delhi. Several leaders of the Opposition, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, had attended the exhibition.