Chandrababu To Be Blamed For Opposition Boycott Of AP Assembly: Dharmana

"Disqualify turncoat MLAs tomorrow and YSRCP will attend the AP Assembly session the very next day," was senior leader of the YSR Congress Party, Dharmana Prasad Rao's message to the Speaker.

“The AP speaker was taking refuge under the plea that the YSRCP had gone to court on the matter. But had the Speaker given a clear direction, YSRCP would not have gone to court,” said Dharmana, addressing the media in Srikakulam on Saturday.

He said that the ruling party was distorting facts on the subject and added that the courts had not directed the Speaker against issuing an order. The Speaker was acting on the instructions of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who was encouraging these defections, he asserted.

He held the TDP chief accountable for the opposition boycott. He also accused Chandrababu of violating all constitutional procedures. He said, "Chandrababu Naidu’s government enjoyed the dubious distinction of issuing 2000 GOs in three and half years without the knowledge of citizens, media or opposition." Apart from the Speaker's office and the decorum of the Assembly, Chandrababu had also lowered the dignity of the Governor's Office, Dharmana said. He further wondered as to why Naidu was objecting to YS Jagan's padayatra when other leaders such as LK Advani, Dr YSR and P Chandrashekar had embarked on similar padayatras in the past. "Didn't Chandrababu Naidu himself go on a padayatra?" he asked. "It is evident that people are coming in hordes to pour out their woes about the misrule of the TDP government. Aren't these common citizens of the state?" he asked. These are people who have been betrayed by you and your party with tall promises which have not been fulfilled, said Dharmana addressing Chandrababu.

The YSRCP leader pointed out that AP had a debt of Rs 97,000 crores at the time of division of the state and after the TDP government came to power, a debt of more than one lakh crore had been added. "Chandrababu Naidu was doling out public money to his cronies and YS Jagan is exposing his misdeeds through padayatra," said Dharmana.