TDP leader receives rousing welcome on return to Hyderabad

Hyderabad, July 21 (ANI): Chandrababu Naidu, the chief of Regional Telugu Desam Party (TDP) received a rousing welcome by his supporters on his return to Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.

Thousands of TDP supporters with party flags gathered at the Hyderabad airport and shouted slogans to support their leader.

Naidu and other legislators of the party were released after being detained in Dharmabad, situated on the border area of Maharashtra.

He was arrested on Friday, along with other protesters, who has tried to visit the Babhli dam, which is built on the River Godavari, for an inspection. Naidu had alleged that the Maharashtra state government is constructing the dam illegally.

Earlier, on Tuesday Maharashtra police had brought Naidu and other TDP leaders to Aurnagabad district, and dropped all the charges against them before sending them back to Hyderabad.

But activists of the Shiv Sena party demonstrated against the TDP leaders' intervention in the state, and tried to stop the convoy in which the police was escorting Naidu and other TDP legislatures to the Aurangabad airport.

Calling the protest of the TDP a political trick to score points in the by-elections in Andhra Pradesh, Shiv Sena leaders said they would protest any intervention of Andhra leaders in the state of Maharashtra.

"This is a political trick by them because they have by-elections in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. I would say that in our Maharashtra, if they try and enter by bullying people here, then Shiv Sena would not only criticize this but also severely protest such acts," said Chandrakant Khare, lawmaker and Shiv Sena Leader.

After reaching Hyderabad airport, a senior TDP leader said that the Shiv Sena activists had manhandled them at the guesthouse where they were detained.

"Suddenly, nearly 350 members entered in our room and started beating us like anything. Why were they beating us, we don't know," said Y. Rama Krishna, senior leader TDP.

Naidu was offered bail on Saturday but he refused and continued his insistence on visiting the dam.

Both the Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh governments have taken the matter in the Supreme Court. By Jyothi (ANI)