YSR Congress party has ridiculed the so-called the day-long “deeksha” taken up by Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday in the name of demanding special category status to AP.
“It was just breakfast-to-dinner upavasam, but not a deeksha as such. Such a 4/20 fast is just a farcical exercise aimed at gaining some political mileage. It has nothing to do with special category status,” YSRC MLA R K Roja said.
She said the high drama enacted by Naidu was a meek attempt to redeem his lost ground in wake of the tremendous response YSR Congress party chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has been receiving in Krishna district.
Roja alleged that the fast in Vijayawada alone had cost the ex-chequer Rs 8 crore and the event has ended up as an extravagant entertainer.
“It did not look like a deeksha. There were dances and songs, besides lengthy speeches. It was nothing but a sham and has taken the shape of an entertainment programme aimed at accumulating political mileage,” she said.
She recalled that the five YSRC MPs had shaken their country with their resignations and indefinite fast. There were numerous other protests demanding SCS which were genuine.
“Had Naidu taken up this deeksha in Delhi, it would have been more effective but it only publicity that he wants and his supportive media has been blaring all the noise to drum up his support,” she said.
