‘How can you contest Andhra polls without trust in police?’: Naidu asks Jagan, Sharmila

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday asked YSR Congress Party President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and his sister Y S Sharmila as to how can they contest elections in the state when they have no faith in the state’s police.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief asked the leaders of the main opposition party in the state to behave as 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?" Naidu said while addressing a news conference in his native village Naravaripalle in Chittoor district.

Naidu was reacting to Sharmila lodging a complaint with the Hyderabad police, seeking action against those trying to defame her by posting objectionable comments in the social media. Alleging that the TDP was behind the conspiracy, she told reporters after meeting the Hyderabad Police Commissioner on Monday that she had no trust in the Andhra Pradesh Police.

Condemning Sharmila's allegation, Naidu said that the TDP had never indulged in personal attacks and character assassination. Naidu reiterated that the state will challenge in court the Centre's move to order a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the attack on Jaganmohan Reddy at the Visakhapatnam airport on October 25.

"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 on January 1 took up the investigation into the knife attack on Jagan, 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?" Naidu said.

The TDP chief alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jagan and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao have colluded with the aim to damage Andhra Pradesh. He also remarked that justice to Andhra Pradesh is possible only if Modi is defeated in the coming elections.

He claimed that TDP is the only party which has a right to seek votes in the coming elections as it has undertaken more development and welfare schemes than revenue-surplus states like Telangana.