The INDIA alliance parties have “reached out” to former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu after the arrest of the TDP chief by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government has evoked sharp reactions from senior political leaders.
Soon after his arrest, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, a key ally of the INDIA alliance, extended her support to Naidu.
“I don’t like the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu, if there is some mistake, you should talk and conduct an investigation. Nothing should be done to anyone vindictively,” she told the media on the arrest of Naidu on Saturday.
Former UP chief minister and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took to X saying, “The trend of arresting opposition leaders has now become a trend from the Centre to the states. Put in jail those who are not with the ruling regime, this was the policy of the autocratic rulers. There is no place for this in democracy.”
“They have arrested Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh. I think this is a very wrong step. A leader is trying to strengthen his people before the election. They think that locking him up will weaken him. I would like to tell them that locking him up will further benefit him,” said Former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah.
Sukhbir Singh Badal or Shiromoni Akali Dal (SAD), a former BJP ally, also responded to the arrest, saying “Such kind of crude vendetta exercise is not conducive to a healthy democracy.”
He said: “It’s unfortunate to see the national President of Telegu Desam Party & former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is known as the architect of modern Andhra Pradesh, being arrested on trumped up charges. Such kind of crude vendetta exercise is not conducive to a healthy democracy and should be opposed by all.”
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh High Court today stayed till next Monday the Court proceedings against Naidu in connection with the multi-crore corruption Andhra Pradesh skill development program scam case.
