Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched a sharp attack on former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of promoting a political culture rooted in violence, dishonesty and intimidation.
Speaking at a pension distribution event in Kovur, East Godavari district, on Tuesday Naidu said that Jagan’s leadership reflected an “absolute disregard for human life”.
The Chief Minister’s remarks came in the wake of an incident in Palnadu, where a .Naidu condemned the response of the YSRCP leadership, alleging that they left the injured man to die without offering help. “If someone is injured in an accident, our first instinct should be to save them. But instead, they treated the man like a dog, threw him aside, and let him die,” he said.
Naidu went on to accuse the YSRCP of attempting to mislead investigators by tampering with forensic evidence. “Now they’re shamelessly saying he didn’t fall under their car, but some other vehicle. They are preparing fake evidence. But sometimes, it feels like God himself intervenes. The forensic reports and videos clearly show the truth,” Naidu said, adding that the evidence confirmed that it was Jagan’s vehicle that fatally struck the man.
He also claimed that the local police had advised YSRCP leaders not to conduct a political event on narrow lanes due to safety concerns. “They went ahead anyway, showing force and behaving like rowdies. The police were outnumbered and advised them to hold the meeting in a proper venue, but they ignored all warnings. This is not politics. This is hooliganism,” the Chief Minister said.
Naidu contrasted his own political record with that of his rival, emphasising his commitment to non-violence and lawfulness. “In all my decades in politics, I’ve never hit anyone, never faced any criminal cases. But today, to protect the people of Andhra Pradesh, I’m forced to politically confront criminals. If I don’t, your safety is at stake,” he told the gathering.