Chandrababu Naidu remanded to 14 days of judicial custody: TDP calls for statewide bandh today

 In a statement, TDP AP president K Atchannaidu requested the party cadre, people, and civil society to participate in the agitation and make it a success.

PTI, AMARAWATI, SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 : The Telugu Desam Party has called for a statewide bandh on Monday in protest against the arrest of its party chief and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in connection with a misappropriation of government funds case.

In a statement, TDP AP president K Atchannaidu requested the party cadre, people, and civil society to participate in the agitation and make it a success.

"The Telugu Desam Party has called for a statewide bandh tomorrow, Monday (September 11) in protest against the illegal arrest of Nara Chandrababu Naidu, atrocities on the party cadre, and vengeful politics," a press release from the party said.

A local court in Vijayawada remanded Chandrababu Naidu in judicial custody for 14 days in an alleged multi-crore corruption scam on Sunday.

He was arrested in connection with a fraud case involving misappropriation of funds from the Skill Development Corporation, leading to a loss of Rs 300 crore to the state government, AP CID Chief N Sanjay said on Saturday.

After Naidu's early morning arrest on Saturday in Nandyal town, he was taken by road to Vijayawada, over 300 kilometres away, where he was produced in court early on Sunday morning. 

The arrest comes just months before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls when political temperatures are soaring and at a time when the TDP is struggling to return to power in the state while trying to project Naidu's son Nara Lokesh, who is on a marathon statewide foot march, as the future leader of the party.

TDP and Jana Sena have dropped enough hints that both parties may go for a pre-poll alliance. However, the BJP, which is in alliance with the Jana Sena in AP, is tight-lipped about the pact with the TDP. 

The state BJP chief and Naidu's sister-in-law D Purandeswari condemned his arrest, alleging that the police did not follow proper procedure. 

Senior journalist and political analyst Telakapalli Ravi told PTI, "The arrest may dent the image of the party. No one is beyond the judicial process. Every irregularity has to be probed and fixed."

He further said that even if Jagan (CM Jagan Mohan Reddy) wants to "fix" Naidu, he cannot do it without the centre's "cooperation". 

Naidu, who began his political career in the Congress, later switched over to the TDP after it came into power in the early 1980s, when his father-in-law and popular actor N T Rama Rao became the chief  minister.