The high drama at Visakhapatnam airport on Thursday when Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu was attacked with chappals, eggs and tomatoes and was forced to beat a retreat made a big news in the media.
It was an open secret that the protests against the TDP chief’s tour in Visakhapatnam were masterminded by the YSR Congress party leaders who have decided to teach a fitting lesson to Naidu who had got their boss Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy stopped within the airport and prevented from entering Visakhapatnam in the past.
Now, YSRC leaders are saying they have nothing to do with the protests, since they were spontaneously held by the locals who were angry with the TDP for opposing the shifting of executive capital to Visakhapatnam.
Stating that it was “dharmagraham” (legitimate anger) of the people of Visakhapatnam, the YSRC leaders sought to turn tables on the TDP leaders saying they were making unnecessary ruckus over the incident.
YSRC MLA Gudivada Amarnath went a step ahead and said hurling footwear and eggs was not the culture of YSRC, but was the habit of TDP leaders.
They reminded how the TDP leaders had thrown chappals at their own party president N T Rama Rao during August 1995 Hotel Viceroy episode.
“In Visakhapatnam, too, some disgruntled elements within the TDP had engineered attack on Naidu with chappals and eggs,” he said and challenged that he would resign if it is proved that people have come from Pulivendula.
He also said that Naidu was worried about his benami properties in Amaravati and was hurting North Andhra people sentiments which is why people agitated against Naidu’s visit to the city.
Chandrababu owes an apology to the people of the region for talking ill about them, he said. the wrath of the city people was expressed when Naidu entered the city. The people have blocked Naidu from entering the city but a section media that is in favour of Naidu was misleading the public with false propaganda.