Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will stage a hunger strike on Monday, October 2, in Rajahmundry Central Jail where he has been lodged for nearly three weeks. TDP leaders across the state, including Naidu’s wife Nara Bhuvaneshwari, will participate in the hunger strike to protest the YSRCP government’s alleged restrictions on freedom in the state, the party announced on Sunday, October 1.
"Naidu will stage a protest against [Chief Minister] YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's authoritarian policies…which are undermining the democratic values upheld by independent India,” said a press release from Andhra Pradesh TDP chief Kinjarapu Atchannaidu. It noted that Bhuvaneswari will fast from 10 am to 5 pm on October 2 in Rajahmundry, and called on party workers and supporters to participate in the hunger strike to be led by TDP leaders in all 175 Assembly constituencies across the state.
On Saturday, September 30, TDP cadres across Andhra Pradesh participated in a "noise-making" protest between 7 pm and 7.05 pm as directed by the party by ringing bells, banging pots and pans, blowing whistles, and honking the horns of their vehicles to show their support for Naidu. Bhuvaneshwari, Naidu’s son and party general secretary Nara Lokesh, and Naidu’s daughter-in-law Nara Brahmani participated in the protest.
Read: TDP cadres bang on utensils, ring bells to ‘make noise’ over Naidu’s arrest
Chandrababu Naidu was arrested by the CID on September 9 in a multi-crore skill development scam. According to CID, the scam allegedly took place when Naidu was the chief minister. It said Rs 371 crore was released for setting up skill development centres in the state of which over Rs 241 crore were diverted to shell companies. The TDP chief, however, has denied the allegation.
Naidu’s petition to quash the FIR against him was dismissed by Andhra Pradesh High Court last week. He has challenged the High Court order in the Supreme Court.
Read: Exclusive: The Chandrababu Naidu case files
Also read: Nara Lokesh to appear before CID on Oct 4 in Amaravati Inner Ring Road case
With IANS inputs