Maintaining law & order paramount for govt: CM

Amaravati: Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said maintaining law and order is paramount and that no violation will be tolerated under any circumstances, irrespective of political affiliation.

The Chief Minister’s remarks come in the wake of high drama over the weekend, which witnessed the arrest of senior YSRCP leader Ambati Ramababu in Guntur and also an alleged attack against Opposition party leader Jogi Ramesh's house in Vijayawada.

"Maintaining law and order is paramount, and that no violation will be tolerated under any circumstances, irrespective of political affiliation," Naidu said. The Chief Minister took note of the incident involving protests held outside Ramesh's residence, following which the Ibrahimpatnam police registered a case on its own. Police have booked several TDP leaders from the Mylavaram Assembly constituency in connection with the incident.

Naidu stated that the rule of law must prevail at all times and that political disagreements should be expressed only through democratic and constitutional means.

He also alleged that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) was conspiring to incite violence and disturb law and order in Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a teleconference with ministers and senior party leaders, the Chief Minister said that YSRCP leaders were resorting to provocative statements and abusive language out of frustration after losing power.

“The YSRCP has been caught red-handed in the Tirumala laddu adulteration case, and the entire state is disgusted with that party. To divert attention from their misdeeds, they are hatching conspiracies. Our focus is on attracting investments and developing the state, which they cannot tolerate,” he said.

Naidu stated that all those who had committed crimes would be punished legally. He urged TDP ministers and leaders to ensure that party workers exercised restraint and did not take the law into their own hands. “Party workers should not fall into the YSRCP’s trap. If we do, there will be no difference between them and us. The YSRCP was built on violence, destruction, and corruption,” he said.

He alleged that criminal politics was the YSRCP’s ideology and that their tenure reflected illegal governance. “Rule of law has been restored in the state after 2024. Our ideology is to serve and empower people. As their real nature is being exposed, they are resorting to abuses,” he added.

Meanwhile, Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra said that the attack on YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu was a result of public anger against corruption. Speaking to the media, he said public opposition to the YSRCP was growing and accused the party of trying to incite caste and religious sentiments to divert attention. Rajahmundry BJP MP Daggubati Purandeswari strongly condemned the remarks made by Ambati Rambabu against the Chief Minister. Speaking to the media in Delhi, she said the comments were unacceptable in any civilized society and alleged that they insulted Naidu’s mother. She said women would not tolerate such remarks and accused YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his associates of deliberately creating unrest in the state.