Hindustan Times : Sep 11, 2019, 11:50 AM
Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh have been put under preventive detention, news agency ANI reported on Wednesday.The TDP has launched a protest against the Jagan Reddy government — “Chalo Palnadu”—alleging that the ruling YSRCP is targeting the opposition workers. Naidu had asked the party cadre to take out a rally on Wednesday from the TDP office in Guntur to Atmakur village in Palnadu region.Naidu began a fast at around 8 am on Wednesday and will continue till 8 pm. TDP leaders and workers who were trying to go to Naidu’s residence were stopped by police and taken into preventive custody.Section 144 was imposed in Narasaraopeta, Sattenapalle, Palnadu and Gurajala regions of the state.Police said that TDP did not get the permission to take out the rally.The Chandrababu Naidu-led party claims that YSRCP cadres have killed as many as eight of TDP workers and violence has been escalating in the Palnadu region of Andhra Pradesh after Jagan Reddy swept to power in the state elections held in May.TDP workers from Palnadu have been arriving at party office in Hyderabad since last week alleging that they had to flee their villages due to attacks by workers of Jagan Reddy’s party.Andhra Pradesh home minister Mekathoti Sucharitha had said the Monday the government would not allow any attempt by the TDP leaders to disturb peace and tranquillity in the state.The police had said prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been under place in Palnadu. The police had appealed to the people not to take part in any activity that would disturb peace in the area.The ruling YSCRP has also planned a counter protest on Wednesday against the alleged violence during Chandrababu Naidu’s rule in Andhra Pradesh. YSCRP leaders had said that Naidu had no issue to raise and is “creating a false impression” that Palanadu is hit by violence.