Andhra Pradesh

YSRCP legislator seeks protection, alleges threat to his life

On Sunday, Mangalagiri MLA of the YSR Congress party, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy walked into the Tadepalli police station to lodge a complaint over allegedly derogatory posts on social media against him. Reddy said that the persons posting those messages had threatened to send chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy to jail and target him next. He named a page called `Lokesh Army’ and a person named Nani Chowdary as the persons behind the threats. Ramakrishna Reddy defeated Nara Lokesh (Chandrababu Naidu’s son) in the assembly elections from Mangalagiri. 

T S Sudhir of Filter Kaapi spoke to Ramakrishna Reddy on the seriousness of the threat and the politics over floods being played out in Andhra Pradesh.

Ramakrishna Reddy (right) with Nara Lokesh

Sudhir : How serious are these threats issued to you over social media?

Ramakrishna Reddy : They have clearly threatened that they will target both me and our CM. Our area is dominated by land mafia and sand mafia. I have been fighting them for a long time. In 2014, when I was elected as MLA, my security was 2+2 but after I fought against the mafia, went to the High court, the then TDP government downgraded it to 1+1 within six months. I had appealed to the DGP that time but nothing was done.

Sudhir : So are you now feeling unsafe?

Reddy : Yes. My security is still 1+1 and I have requested for it to be increased to 3+3.

Sudhir : Your party and the TDP are engaged in a war of words over flood waters in the Krishna river. You say Chandrababu Naidu’s home will get flooded. Lokesh says their home is far away from the river. Pawan Kalyan has asked both parties to stop drone politics.

Reddy : What Pawan Kalyan said was wrong. We are not doing drone politics. The irrigation department has said drones were sent up to assess the flood situation. It is the duty of the government. The politics over it is the creation of the media. We have to be concerned about Chandrababu Naidu’s home. It will get submerged and hence the notice to vacate it was issued by the tehsildar. It is our responsibility to take care of the opposition leader.

Sudhir : Lokesh has alleged the floods are being deliberately created.

Reddy : (laughs) Does he mean to say floods are created by a political party? Tell me is it possible. Why is he saying such things?

Sudhir : You should tell me. You know him better, he was your opponent in the last elections.

Reddy : People of Mangalagiri know better

Sudhir : There is criticism that both the CM and the Leader of Opposition are away from Andhra Pradesh at the time of floods. The CM is away in the USA while Naidu is in Hyderabad.

Reddy : The CM went two days after the floods. He reviewed the situation with officials, gave instructions and then left. Even from the US, he is regularly monitoring the situation. There has been no human loss or loss to cattle. Only crop loss. 

But I want to ask Naidu should he not be here in Andhra Pradesh. Is it not his responsibility? He should give suggestions to the government on what needs to be done. 

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