'Jagan Reddy govt targeting TDP leaders', Chandrababu Naidu complains to Guv

AMARAVATI: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday complained to Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, claiming that the state government is targeting TDP leaders and their families to financially weaken them, adding that the Andhra Pradesh State Directorate for Revenue Intelligence (APSDRI) has been formed deliberately only for this purpose.

In a letter to the Governor, the former Chief Minister said the APSDRI has been formed only to target the TDP leaders and activists, both financially and politically, and the officials of the organisation are acting at the behest of the ruling party leaders, instead of performing their duties as per the law.

Chilakala Rajesweara Reddy, a close associate of the ruling YSRCP, has been appointed as its commissioner, as a result of which the APSDRI has become a weapon in the hands of the ruling party leaders only to threaten the TDP workers, Naidu mentioned in the letter.

The APSDRI has been going on a rampage by imposing fines, making arrests besides undertaking sudden arrests and searches at the houses of the TDP leaders only to harass them, Naidu added.

Claiming that TDP MLA Yeluri Sambasiva Rao was subjected to harassment very recently, Naidu said that even as the incident is still fresh in the minds of the people and the party cadre, the APSDRI has turned its focus towards senior TDP leader and former minister P. Narayana in Nellore.

The latest in the series is the harassment of another senior TDP leader and former minister Pattipati Pulla Rao's son P. Sarath, the TDP chief claimed.

What is interesting is that Sarath was only an additional director of a firm for just 68 days, that too between December 9, 2019 and February 20, 2020, which is almost four years ago, Naidu pointed out.

What is more important is that the Deputy Director of APSRDI, Seetha Rama Reddy, in his complaint has clearly mentioned that an inquiry has been ordered by the Director General (GST), Intelligence, and accordingly a notice has been served on him, ordering to make the payment of Rs 16 crore with fine, Naidu said.

What is shocking is that the APSRDI has taken over the case which is under the purview of the GST Director General, Hyderabad, he added.

In desperation, the YSRCP is specifically targeting the TDP leaders as the party is well aware that it will get defeated in the upcoming polls, the TDP chief claimed.

Naidu also sought a quick action by the Governor to save democracy in the state, saying such illegal tactics do not augur well for the future of Andhra Pradesh.