A stone hurled at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy during a campaign rally has ignited a political firestorm in the state, with the ruling YSRCP and opposition TDP engaging in a war of words over the incident.
The incident occurred in Vijayawada on Saturday night, leaving the Chief Minister with a minor injury to his left temple. YSRCP General Secretary S Ramakrishna Reddy condemned the attack, alleging it was a pre-meditated assault orchestrated by the TDP in response to Jagan Reddy’s growing popularity.
Ramakrishna Reddy accused TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu of inciting violence against the Chief Minister during his campaign meetings, insinuating that the opposition party stood to gain from preventing Jagan Reddy’s interactions with the public.
In response, TDP spokesperson Pattabhiram Kommareddy questioned the timing and circumstances of the attack, suggesting it may have been staged for political gain. However, he backed Naidu’s call for an impartial inquiry by the Election Commission into the incident.
The attack has elicited condemnation from across the political spectrum, with Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President Y S Sharmila expressing her belief that it was accidental and offering prayers for Jagan Reddy’s speedy recovery.
Despite the incident, Jagan Reddy remains undeterred, with the ruling party vowing to pursue an expedited inquiry to uncover the truth. The Chief Minister has temporarily paused his election canvassing activities to recuperate but is expected to resume his campaign soon.
As the investigation unfolds, the attack on Jagan Mohan Reddy has underscored the heightened tensions in Andhra Pradesh politics ahead of the upcoming elections.
