Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu broke down during a press conference on November 19, unable to bear the sting from the verbal assaults leveled at his family.
Those who saw the clips of the breakdown on the internet were left wondering if it was a doctored video. But it was not. The tough-as-nails TDP chief did weep, almost inconsolably.
What pained Chandrababu Naidu?
The politics in Andhra Pradesh have been very tumultuous recently. The tensions are running high as a few leaders from the ruling YSRCP and the opposition TDP have traded verbal insults using curse words.
TDP Spokesperson Pattabhi was even arrested for using foul language against Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan. He is out on bail.
YSRCP MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi, speaking to the media, made unsavory insinuations about Chandrababu’s family. He said that Lokesh, Chandrababu’s son, shared a resemblance with a deceased TDP Minister, thus degrading Mrs. Chandrababu Naidu.
The shocking remarks by the ruling party MLA were not dignified by the opposition party, as they proceeded to question the government on CM Jagan’s uncle’s murder that took place shortly before the general elections in 2019.
Today, as the legislative assembly debated agriculture, ruling party MLA Ambati Rambabu named the deceased TDP Minister who was earlier mentioned by MLA Vamsi. This infuriated Chandrababu Naidu, who stood up and started to speak, but his microphone was allegedly switched off.
Chandrababu Naidu swore that he would not enter the assembly premises until he became the Chief Minister again and walked out. Then he held a press conference, where he could no longer contain his anguish.
YSRCP’s version
Chief Minister Jagan, who was reviewing the state’s flood situation, was not present in the assembly, but he was soon appraised of what happened.
He said that Chandrababu Naidu had chosen to make allegations against his family in relation to his uncle’s murder and asked if they would kill their own family member.
Not referring to MLA Vamsi’s dark insinuations against Chandrababu’s family, the CM said that the deceased TDP Minister’s name was mentioned because he too was murdered (assassinated by Maoists), and the YRSCP leaders were simply referring to the deaths that took place during the TDP rule.
The Press Conference
This is the Press Conference which saw the former Chief Minister break down.