Visakhapatnam: The ruling Telugu Desam has been poaching YSRC MLAs due to lack of able leaders in its yellow brigade, said YSR Congress MLA Roja on Sunday.
Ms Roja and Tirupati MP Varaprasad Rao joined YSRC district president Gudivada Amarnath, who sat on a fast-unto-death for a separate railway zone at Visakhapatnam, and expressed their solidarity with him.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms Roja took a dig at the TD government and its leaders, including Chief Minister and TD national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Ayyanna Patrudu and Atchannaidu. She termed Mr Naidu “Tuppu”. and his son Lokesh as Pappu.
“Chandrababu Naidu, who fears charges for the cash-for-vote scam, has prostrated before the Union government, leaving the interests of the people of Andhra Pradesh in the air. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who brags that he is a moralistic and credible leader, should seek a fresh mandate for the YSRC defectors.
Chandrababu Naidu has been luring the Opposition party leaders by foisting false cases and offering huge packages. If the TD has able leaders, the need wouldn’t have arisen for Mr Amarnath to launch a hunger strike, putting his life at risk,” said Ms Roja.
"The TD ministers have been a bane to the state. Both Ayyanna Patrudu and Ganta Srinivasa Rao are competing only in looting the state. I have never seen minister Atchannaidu, who also hails from north Andhra region, asking about the railway zone. Mr Amarnath’s hunger strike is a proud moment for the YSRC,” Ms Roja added.
YSRC Vizag city president’s hunger strike thwarted
In the late hours of Sunday, the Vizag police evicted YSRC MLA Gudivada Amarnath, who sat on an indefinite hunger strike for a separate railway zone at Visakhapatnam, from the protest camp at the Gandhi statue near the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) office and admitted him to a hospital on the pretext of deteriorating health condition.
At 10 pm, a team of policemen reached the camp and shifted Mr. Amarnath who launched his fast-unto-death on April 14 for a separate railway zone, marking the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar.
The government cou-ldn’t tolerate the growing support for Mr. Amarnath in his fight for a separate railway zone. The CPI, CPM, Loksatta, several railway unions, student unions and women groups extended their support to Mr. Amarnath since the launch of the hunger strike.
