TDP senior leader and former minister Chintakayala Ayyannapathrudu took strong exception to the excess behaviour of the Andhra Pradesh police towards the Amaravati farmers. He blamed the police for troubling the Amaravati farmers during their walk in Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district, three days ago.

Ayyannapathrudu alleged that the police have interrupted the padayatra in the name of checking the identification cards. He said that the high court had given permission for 600 farmers and four vehicles to participate in the padayatra. Accordingly, the farmers were walking, he said, adding that those supporting the Amaravati as capital issue were joining them everywhere.

The TDP former minister wondered why the police had stopped these supporters and created trouble for them. He alleged that the farmers had to give a break to the padayatra to settle the issue in the high court.

Ayyannapathrudu expressed confidence that the farmers would resume their padayatra once the court gives clear instructions to the state police. He sought to advise the police to stop working as the ruling party activists and target the opposition parties.

The former minister expressed confidence that the farmers would resume their padayatra and it would pass through the Narsipatnam Assembly constituency shortly. He made an appeal to the TDP leaders to get ready for a battle with the ruling YSR Congress activists.

The former minister also emphasised the need to defeat the YSR Congress in the next elections to restore democracy in the state. He said that the YSR Congress was destroying the democratic institutions in the state and was closing the voices of the opposition.

He came down heavily on chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for dictatorial governance in the state. He said he had never seen a destructive leader like Jagan Mohan Reddy and called upon the people to send Jagan Mohan Reddy home. “Let people send Jagan home and the CBI will send him to jail,” Ayyannapathrudu asserted.