Chandrababu Naidu begins protest

Amaravati: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday began 36-hour long sit-in at party's central office at Mangalagiri to protest Tuesday's attacks on party offices and demanded the Centre's intervention to save the people of Andhra Pradesh from what he called the drug mafia and the undemocratic and fascist regime.

The leader of opposition reiterated his demand for invoking Article 356, saying Andhra Pradesh in its present situation was a fit case for imposition of President's rule.

He claimed that the TDP never made such a demand in the past and it was not in the habit of making such demands considering the need to overlook stray mistakes by some individuals. "But, the lapses of the Jaganmohan Reddy Government crossed all limits. The future of the whole State and the country is at stake now," he said.

The former chief minister began the sit-in to protest Tuesday's attacks on party offices and leaders by supporters of ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). The protest with the title 'fight against state terrorism' began 8 a.m. and will continue till 8 p.m. on Friday.

He alleged that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy was growing impatient over the increasing public resentment against his Government's atrocities, all round corruption and attacks on all constitutional institutions. Tuesday's attack on TDP main office was not a sporadic, isolated incident but a culmination of two and half years of lawless, anarchic and oppressive regime, he said.

Addressing the party leaders and cadres, the TDP chief reminded the Centre that the dark activities of the Andhra Pradesh ganja mafia was not limited to the State but spread to Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and other States.