Crowd Forgets Distancing, Welcomes TDP’s Naidu in AP After 60 Days

Naidu, who was staying at his Hyderabad residence for two months, travelled to Undavalli in Amaravati by road.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

As Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu arrived in Andhra Pradesh for the first time in nearly two months, scores of people thronged to welcome him at different places, ignoring physical distancing norms and creating risk of COVID-19 infections.

Naidu, who had been staying at his Hyderabad residence since the lockdown began, reached his Undavalli residence in the Amaravati capital region on the afternoon of Monday, 25 May.

Videos showed crowds thronging to greet him, waving TDP flags, cheering and whistling, at various points in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh where Naidu’s convoy passed, including Kanchikacherla, Nandigam and Mulapadu.

Naidu was seen briefly stepping out of his car, wearing a mask and waving to the crowd. The enthusiasm of TDP supporters led to the flouting of physical distancing norms at several places, as they jostled to greet Naidu.

Naidu was earlier scheduled to take a flight from Hyderabad to Vizag to visit the areas affected by the LG Polymers gas leak, before going on from Visakhapatnam to Amaravati by road. With the resumption of flight services in the state being postponed to Tuesday, he cancelled his Vizag visit to go to Undavalli directly.

TDP leaders accused the YSRCP government of postponing the operations at the two airports to foil Naidu’s Vizag visit.

Meanwhile, arrangements are being made to conduct the party's annual Mahanadu conclave through video-conferencing, on account of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Party sources said that close to 14,000 party cadres would participate in the conclave, which Naidu will attend from the TDP office at Mangalagiri. The annual conclave coincides with the birth anniversary of party founder and former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh – late NT Rama Rao.

The conclave will discuss the political situation in the state and also pass resolutions signalling the party's strategy in the year ahead. The current situation in the state, following the COVID-19 outbreak, is also expected to figure in the discussion.

(With inputs from IANS. This story was first published in The News Minute and has been republished with permission.)