Andhra govt targeting opposition leaders, public servants: YSRCP leader

Senior YSRCP leader and former minister Ambati Rambabu on Saturday accused the TDP-led NDA government of resorting to a "disturbing pattern of unlawful arrests and politically motivated persecution, targeting opposition leaders and public servants."

The arrests of senior IAS officer Dhanunjaya Reddy and OSD Krishna Mohan Reddy, who served in the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy governance, exemplify this vendetta, said Rambabu.

Dhanunjaya Reddy, a retired IAS officer, who was a key official in the erstwhile YSRCP government and Krishna Mohan Reddy who had worked as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy were arrested on Friday for their alleged role in a Rs 3,200-crore liquor scam case between 2019 and 2024.

"The coalition's (NDA govt) rule is defined by illegal arrests, not governance. From political leaders to IAS, (and) IPS officers, no one is spared from fabricated cases and detentions," said Rambabu in a YSRCP release.

The government's tenure has been marked by oppression rather than progress, he said, adding that the arrests allegedly mirror "past tactics of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who, in collusion with the Congress party previously imprisoned Jagan Mohan Reddy on baseless charges."

"Chandrababu's history of vindictive politics is well-known. His current actions stem from personal grudges, including his own imprisonment in the skill development scam, prompting him to target YSRCP leaders and officials," Rambabu said.

Observing that Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh are allegedly exploiting their authority, the YSRCP leader likened their actions to "riding a tiger that will eventually turn against them."

The government is using these arrests as a diversion from unfulfilled promises, such as Ammavodi and other welfare schemes, which remain in demand among the public, he said.

The arrests of Dhanunjaya Reddy and Krishna Mohan Reddy are steeped in a political conspiracy, said Rambabu, noting that "this is a deliberate attempt to suppress dissent and distract from the government's failures."

Likewise, YSRCP MLC Varudu Kalyani flayed the CM for allegedly orchestrating a dictatorial regime that undermines democracy.

"Naidu's inability to govern effectively has led him to divert public attention from his government's failures through vindictive arrests and diversionary tactics," Kalyani said.

She claimed that the latest arrests are an attempt to suppress dissent and shift focus from the coalition government's unfulfilled commitments.

These arrests are a desperate move to cover up the growing public discontent over the government's failure to deliver on its promises to all sections of society, said Kalyani.

Criticising the current government for "handing over" liquor sales to private entities, she said this has "lead to unchecked belt shops (illegal liquor shops) operating 24/7 and flooding the state with alcohol."

Kalyani challenged Naidu to face investigations in scams which allegedly occurred during his government, such as the inner ring road, liquor, fibernet and skill development controversies.