Andhra Pradesh: 8 dead at Chandrababu Naidu's Kandukuru roadshow
At least eight people reportedly lost their lives on Wednesday in a near-stampede in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district during a road show of former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu. The deceased Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supporters, who were participating in the rally, allegedly fell inside a drainage canal. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals.
Rs. 10 lakh ex gratia announced by Naidu
Speaking about the tragedy, Naidu conveyed his sympathies over the loss of lives and announced Rs. 10 lakh ex gratia for the deceased. "It is very unfortunate that our TDP family members, who came for the meeting, lost their lives. I will assist their families in every way, including supporting the education of children in their families through the NTR trust," he stated.
Cement railing broke as crowd surged
The rush kicked off as Naidu's convoy was about to reach the location in the evening. The massive crowd started pressing forward to get a glimpse of the leader. Local authorities confirmed that a cement railing broke due to the rush and several people fell into an open drainage canal that passed alongside, resulting in eight casualties.
Visuals of Naidu's roadshow at Kandukuru
Here's why Naidu is touring Andhra Pradesh
Naidu also visited the families of the deceased and the injured at the government hospital. The TDP chief is touring the Andhra districts as part of the party's "Idem kharma mana rashtraniki" (why this ill fate for AP?) campaign. At his rallies and roadshows, Naidu accused the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government of failing Andhra in administration, development, and other key areas.
BJP reacts to Kandukuru incident
Andhra Bharatiya Janata Party chief Somu Veerraju reacted to the incident and stated that the police and political parties must ensure that such mishaps don't happen at rallies. "Police should provide bundobust for the opposition rallies like they do for the government meetings. The state should also support the families of the deceased though the incident occurred during a political party event," he stated.
Naidu eyes 2024 Assembly polls
For the 2024 Assembly polls, Naidu's son Nara Lokesh will start a 4,000-kilometer foot march in January. The "Yuva Galam" will encourage the state's youngsters to raise their voices and fight for what they want. Pitching the "Quit Jagan, save AP" slogan, Naidu stated that the 2024 polls would be his last if the people didn't bring his party back to power.
