Taking on the ruling YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh after being detained at the Tirupati airport en route a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) protest, former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday staged a sit-in protest at the arrival lounge and questioned his "fundamental rights" as the Leader of Opposition.
Asserting that he worked as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for 14 years, the TDP chief fired a salvo at the ruling YSR Congress and questioned his detention. “I am a leader of Opposition. What is this tamasha? Why did you detain me? You didn’t give me permission… I will sit right here,” he reportedly said during a confrontation with the police personnel on duty at the airport.
Naidu also tweeted a video of the incident stating “fear-driven, state-sponsored vendetta won't stop me from reaching out to my people”.
“We will not be stopped. We will not be silenced. Your fear-driven, state-sponsored vendetta won't stop me from reaching out to my people. Grow up, @ysjagan #Chittoor #AndhraPradesh,” he wrote on micro-blogging platform Twitter and tagged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We will not be stopped.<br>We will not be silenced. <br>Your fear-driven, state-sponsored vendetta won't stop me from reaching out to my people. <br>Grow up, <a >@ysjagan</a> <a >#Chittoor</a> <a >#AndhraPradesh</a> <a >pic.twitter.com/N6fJP7qSaJ</a></p>— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) <a >March 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Naidu’s outburst against Jagan Mohan Reddy comes as the TDP has accused the YSR Congress of allegedly imposing pressure on opposition leaders to withdraw from the upcoming municipal elections. In tune with the same, the opposition TDP planned to organise a protest under Naidu’s leadership.
"Because Police Act 30 and the model code of conduct are in vogue and in our sincere efforts to ensure a free and fair poll process, we are forced to detain you," the Renigunta police informed on detaining the TDP leader.