AP Guv attacks previous govt, Jagan walks out staging protest

Amaravati: YSRCP MLAs and MLCs led by former Chief Minister and Pulivendula MLA YS Jagan Mohan Reddy walked out of the monsoon session on Monday raising slogans on ‘butcher of democracy in Andhra Pradesh,’ even as Governor Justice (retd) S Abdul Nazeer attacked the erstwhile government in his joint address to the legislature for derailing progress with its idiosyncratic decisions on Amaravati, Polavaram and other crucial issues.

After shouting at the police when he and his party legislators were prevented from marching to the Assembly compound here sporting black badges and carrying posters and placards demanding imposition of President’s Rule in AP alleging breakdown of law and order after the NDA Government was formed under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on June 12, Jagan said the police were behaving like the stooges of the ruling coalition.

Accusing ‘murder of democracy,’ he led the walkout after disrupting the Governor’s address several times, he said his party will stage a dharna in Delhi on July 24 to press for President’s Rule in the State. Earlier, he dashed off letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and sought an appointment with them. He also sought an appointment with President Droupdai Murmu after lodging a complaint with the Governor at Raj Bhavan in Vijayawada on Sunday evening.

In a posting on X, Jagan said, “In just 50 days, this government has failed on all fronts. Law and order has collapsed, causing public fear. They couldn’t even present a full budget, relying on a vote-on-account for 7 months, exposing their inability to fulfill promises. Chandrababu Naidu’s government, fearing questions, creates chaos to divert attention, using violence to suppress Opposition.”

He said, “In the current Assembly, there are only two sides: the ruling party and the Opposition. Our party should be recognized as the opposition, but the government fears this. Recognizing us means giving us the right to speak in the assembly, which they want to avoid. Despite 50 days in power, Chandrababu Naidu governs in fear. His attempts to murder democracy reminds us of Shishupala’s sins, indicating that his day of reckoning is near.”

Earlier in his address, the Governor in a scathing attack on the YSRCP rule during 2019-24, said it (the tenure) was marked by inept governance, especially after the bifurcation of AP. He said “in fact, the damage and losses during the period 2019-24 have been more severe compared to State (united AP) reorganisation in June, 2014.”