Chandrababu Naidu urge TDP members to stage protest during Modi's Andhra visit

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday asked members and cadres of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to stage protests during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on Sunday. Naidu, who is also the TDP President, told the cadres and party members during a teleconference call that the protests, against the Centre's "betrayal" to the state, should be organised on a scale that the whole country should take note of it.

Modi is scheduled to address a rally in Guntur. This will be his first visit to Andhra Pradesh after TDP snapped ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last year. The TDP chief, who will be holding a day-long protest in New Delhi on Monday, said protests should be organised with the spirit shown by Mahatma Gandhi.

The TDP chief alleged that Modi was coming to the state to see the destruction following the bifurcation in 2014. "Is he coming here to see whether people are still alive?" Naidu had earlier remarked on Modi's visit. Naidu said there was a conspiracy to destabilise the state government.

(With inputs from agencies.)