Tension erupts in Andhra Pradesh's Vizag over TDP chief Chandrababu's tour

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Tension prevailed at the Visakhapatnam Airport in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday (February 27) as ruling YSRCP workers went to protest against TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu's visit to Vizag and Vijayanagaram districts.

A large number of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supporters reached the airport to welcome Chandrababu Naidu. It is to be noted that this is Chandrababu's first visit to Vizag after it was declared the executive capital by YSRCP government in January 2019. Carrying party flags and banners, TDP leaders and workers reached the airport to welcome Naidu.

YSRCP workers also gathered there to protest against Naidu's visit as he is protesting against 3 capital proposal. Holding black flags, the YSRCP workers raised slogans of "Babu go back" and said that the former chief minister had no moral right to visit Visakhapatnam after opposing it as the executive capital. Naidu is leading the movement to demand that Amaravati be retained as the only state capital.

There was a huge mobilisation of police personnel outside the airport to prevent clashes between the two groups. Police have denied permission to the TDP chief for taking out a rally from the airport to Pendurthy. Chandrababu, however, has vowed to go ahead with his two-day visit to north Andhra region.

"When a leader like Chandrababu Naidu who have served for Andhra Pradesh for 14 years is coming to Vizag, which he developed a lot, it is quite common to hold a rally. we have 4 MLAs here but police denied the rally. when when we were in power we had never objected Jagan Mohan Reddy to conduct a padayatra and rallies. If police are to arrest TDP leaders we demand they must arrest YSRCP leaders also as they have created this tension here. Jagan Mohan reddy is behaving like a dictator. We will object Jagan Mohan reddy also in the same manner when he visits Vizag," said Ganesh, TDP MLA from Vizag South.