The feud between the TDP and the YSRCP escalated on Monday, July 22, as former CM and party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy and his cadres protested outside the state Assembly.  Holding placards and black flags saying ‘Save Democracy’, Jagan was joined by YSRCP’s MLAs who refused to enter the Assembly in solidarity with their party. 

Jagan has been alleging a collapse of law and order in Andhra ever since TDP came to power in June this year and several instances of murder of YSRCP cadres have been reported.

An angry Jagan was seen telling police on camera, “The lion insignia on your caps are meant to protect democracy not destroy it.”  The party alleged that they were stopped by police who tore up their placards. 

The YSRCP has also planned a similar protest in New Delhi on July 24. Earlier on June 7, in a letter to President Draupadi Murmu, YSRCP MP S Niranjan Reddy claimed that party supporters were being attacked following their defeat in the recent elections. 

On June 25, a YSRCP worker identified as Thota Venkateswarlu was brutally attacked with iron rods in Gundlapadu village of Palnadu district, allegedly by TDP workers.