Amaravati:

At least 17 people in Andhra Pradesh have so far been killed in rain-related incidents and subsequent floods, that have left lakhs of people scampering for daily needs in several districts. The worst affected districts included Vijayawada, NTR, Guntur, Krishna, Eluru, Palnadu, Bapatla, and Prakasam, where thousands of acres of crops have been submerged.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the recent torrential rain and floods in Andhra Pradesh is the “biggest disaster” he has witnessed in the state in his political career.

“We had some events like Hudhud hurricane and Titli cyclone but compared to these, here the human suffering and property loss is the biggest,” he told a press conference on Monday.

How Drones Are Assisting In Andhra Floods

The state government and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have now started dropping food packets, water bottles, and other necessities for people in flood-affected areas via drones.

Earlier, drones were only used to get an aerial view of disaster-hit areas. But now, they have made the job easier, faster, and more efficient, saving fuel for choppers that were used before in relief and rescue operations.

Drones have made reporting stories from flood-hit areas that much more dramatic; aerial visuals from #Mahbubabad district #MaripeduMandal purushottamayyagudem bridge; #drones give more comprehensive view & can help in delivery of essentials #DronesInFloods#ReportingOnFloodspic.twitter.com/RAGREbrgUR

— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) September 2, 2024

Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh said the state government has for the first time deployed drones to deliver relief materials and food to flood-affected people.

“This has made relief operations more efficient and quick,” he wrote on X and shared a video of a drone delivering a food packet.

The GoAP, under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri @ncbn Garu, has for the first time ever deployed drones to deliver relief materials and food to our flood-affected people. This has made relief operations more efficient and quick.#APGovtWithFloodVictims… pic.twitter.com/AfwuFKg4J8

— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) September 2, 2024

Mr Naidu said eight to nine drones were used to deliver food packets — which also included biscuits, fruits, milk, and medicines — to 10,000 people on Monday and assured that up to 35 more drones would be deployed on Tuesday.

In some cases, drones were also used to drop life jackets to people stranded in flooded areas. A boy was able to come out of a flood area because of that life jacket in the Khammam district.

Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel, Ramdas Athawale and JD(U) MP Dileshwar Kamait during the all-party meeting, at Parliament House in New Delhi on July 21, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Janata Dal (United), a key BJP ally which heads the government in Bihar, has strongly argued for a special financial package for the State to be granted during the Budget Session of Parliament that begins from July 22, since the government has already ruled out the grant of special category status. The JD(U) made its demand at Sunday’s all-party meeting.

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However, the BJP’s other major ally, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is in power in Andhra Pradesh remained ambivalent on the issue, only seeking financial support from the Centre on various “legacy” issues dogging the State.

According to sources, back-channel talks are on between the BJP and its allies on this issue. With Bihar going to the polls in a year, the JD(U) has told the BJP in no uncertain terms that Bihar must get significant financial aid from the Centre for the ruling National Democratic Alliance to have a fair shot in next year’s Assembly election.

Reciprocity expected

The JD(U) already made a concession for the BJP, climbing down from its long-standing demand for special category status only. A resolution was passed at the JD(U)‘s last national executive meeting in Delhi, stating that Bihar needs either a special category status or a special financial package. The JD(U) now expects a reciprocal gesture from the BJP.

It was JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha who raised the issue during the all-party meeting. “We reiterated our demand for special category status in the meeting. Our leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has addressed public rallies from Gandhi Maidan to Ramlila ground on the issue. We also said that if on some technical grounds, they are unable to accord Bihar this status, they should grant a special package. We hope that in the upcoming Budget, the government will consider it,” Mr. Jha said.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president and Union Minister Chirag Paswan also raised the same demand at the all-party meet.

YSRCP-TDP tussle

Unlike the JD(U), the TDP did not explicitly spell out its demand for “special category status” or a “special package” for Andhra Pradesh, but spoke at length on the precarious economic condition that the State finds itself in. The TDP’s equivocation on the issue gave a handle to its political rivals, the YSR Congress Party, which has framed special category status as the “only solution for the development of Andhra Pradesh.”

“We want enough time, so that all the financial issues concerning Andhra Pradesh can be placed in Parliament. It is not a question of this or that demand. There are several legacy issues. We will be presenting a white paper on the dire financial condition that the State finds itself in so that every political party understands our situation,” Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, the TDP’s parliamentary party leader told The Hindu.

Slamming the TDP’s attitude, YSRCP leader Vijay Sai Reddy told journalists that he had raised the need for “special category status” for Andhra Pradesh during the all-party meet. “We have been demanding special category status. It is not a new demand; we have been raising it right from the day it was promised by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha. It is the only solution for the development of Andhra Pradesh. The TDP ignoring the issue and asking for an incentive or additional funds is not acceptable,” he said.

‘No more special category States’

The Biju Janata Dal also raised the demand for special category status for Odisha during the all-party meeting. BJD leader Sasmit Patra said that was a two-decade-old demand that Odisha has been continuously pleading for. The concept of a ‘special category status’ was introduced in 1969 by the Planning Commission during the Fourth Five-Year Plan. It extends tax incentives for investors and also increases the Centre’s financial share in all centrally sponsored schemes, considerably lightening the State government’s burden. However, consecutive Finance Commissions have ruled out extending the status to any States beyond those who already enjoy it.

Amaravati:

Nara Bhuvaneswari, wife of jailed TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu will embark on a tour of Andhra Pradesh – ‘Nijam Gelavali” (truth shall triumph) as part of efforts to reach out to the people. She would visit families of people who reportedly died after hearing about the arrest of former chief minister Naidu.

Bhuvaneswari’s tour plan is being formulated to ensure that she covers at least two to three places a week.

Also, ‘Bhavishyathuku Guarantee’ (guarantee for the future) programme which came to a halt following Naidu’s arrest in the Skill Development Corporation scam case will be resumed with TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh spearheading it, a TDP press release said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the principal opposition party in the state will conduct a meeting in the next few days to chalk out its future plans and programmes.

Naidu is lodged in the Rajamahendravaram central prison for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, which resulted in a purported loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh has said that the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister is putting false cases against them and it’s nothing but a political witch-hunt.

Nara Lokesh and party supporters on Monday staged a hunger strike at Lodhi Estate in Delhi against the arrest of TDP Chief and former Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.

The party workers held ‘I am with CBN’ posters demanding the release of Former Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu.

“Mr Naidu is known for efficiency, transparency and integrity. Today, we have a madman as the CM of Andhra Pradesh and he is putting false cases against a credible politician. It’s nothing but a political witch-hunt. They have kept two cases ready, in case Naidu gets bail in this case, he can be put on remand again in two other cases,” Nara Lokesh said.

He further said that the government is putting false cases against him too and also threatened to put his wife and mother in jail.

“It’s not just him, they have put false cases against me. They have now given a notice to appear in a matter totally unrelated to my ministry when I was the minister. They are sending notices to numerous people. They’ve also threatened to put cases against my wife and my mother and send them to jail. This is the kind of madman administration that we are dealing with in the state of Andhra Pradesh,” Nara Lokesh added.

“So I urge every Indian to stand and support Mr Naidu,” he said.

From candle marches to rallies, TDP workers have been demanding the release of Chandrababu Naidu by showcasing their outrage across the country.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief, N Chandrababu Naidu, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on September 9 in connection with the multi-crore skill development scam case.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad:

N Chandrababu Naidu, chief of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, was arrested today over allegations of corruption and shifted to Vijayawada.

Mr Naidu was arrested early this morning by officers of Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department following high drama after midnight.

Late last night, the officers reached a function hall at Nandyal and served an arrest warrant to Mr Naidu. However, they could not take him into custody as the TDP chief’s supporters protested.

A minor scuffle also broke out between the cops and Mr Naidu’s supporters.

As TDP supporters throw questions at cops during the altercation, the police officers are heard saying that they have evidence and that the remand report contains everything.

In the notice served to Mr Naidu, senior officer of CID’s Economic Offences Wing M Dhanunjayudu said, “It is to inform you that you have been arrested… at 6 am at R K Function Hall, Gnanapuram, H/o Moolasagaram, Nandyala town and it is a non-bailable offence.”

The former Chief Minister has been charged under sections for criminal conspiracy, cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property and 465. The Prevention of Corruption Act has also been invoked.