AMARAVATI – The annual Mahanadu event of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh has drawn sharp criticism from Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has described it as “nothing but a grand drama.” Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the Mahanadu, Jagan accused TDP president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of “merely striking poses” at the event.
Jagan’s scathing remarks come as the two-day Mahanadu event, the TDP’s annual conclave, kicked off in Ongole on Friday. The event is seen as a show of strength for the main opposition party in the state, with Naidu and other senior leaders expected to make key announcements and address party workers.
“The Mahanadu is nothing but a big drama. Chandrababu is merely striking poses at the event,” Jagan told reporters. The Chief Minister accused the TDP chief of making “false promises” to the people of Andhra Pradesh during his tenure as Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019.
Jagan’s party, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), has been at loggerheads with the TDP since it came to power in 2019. The YSRCP government has been accused of targeting the TDP and its leaders through various investigations and cases.
The Mahanadu event is seen as an opportunity for the TDP to regroup and rally its cadre ahead of the 2024 state assembly elections. Naidu is expected to use the platform to highlight the “failures” of the YSRCP government and present the TDP’s vision for the state’s development.
However, Jagan’s scathing remarks have added to the political tension in the state, with the YSRCP government and the TDP engaging in a war of words over various issues, including the state’s financial situation and the implementation of welfare schemes.
The Mahanadu event is also significant as it comes at a time when the TDP is grappling with internal dissent, with some senior leaders expressing their unhappiness with the party’s leadership and direction. The event is expected to be a crucial test for Naidu’s hold over the party and his ability to unite the opposition against the YSRCP government.
