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Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders intensified their attack on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) following the alleged involvement of Eluru MP Putta Mahesh Yadav in a drugs rave party, demanding his immediate resignation from the Lok Sabha and suspension from the party.
Addressing the media separately in Eluru and Kakinada, YSRCP leaders said the incident had brought disrepute to constitutional institutions and accused the ruling coalition of shielding those involved. They alleged that the TDP has effectively turned into a "Telugu Drugs Party" after a sitting Member of Parliament was reportedly caught consuming drugs at a rave party in a farmhouse at Moinabad near Hyderabad. Speaking at the YSRCP district office in Eluru, district president and former Kaikaluru MLA Doolam Nageswara Rao, along with Eluru constituency in-charge Mamillapalli Jayaprakash (JP), Chintalapudi constituency in-charge Kambham Vijayaraju and city party president Gudidesi Srinivasa Rao, said it was deeply shameful that Putta Mahesh Yadav, who had earlier promised during elections to make the Eluru Parliament constituency drug-free, was now allegedly caught in a drugs party. They stated that drug test reports had reportedly returned positive and demanded that he immediately resign and apologise to the people. Rao criticised the TDP leadership for remaining silent despite the seriousness of the allegations and warned that if action is not taken, the party would launch large-scale protests along with public organisations. He also alleged that drug and ganja cases have increased significantly across the state after the coalition government came to power, citing regions such as Guntur, Mangalagiri, Visakhapatnam and Nellore where narcotics are allegedly being sold openly. YSRCP leaders said it was humiliating for the people of Eluru that their elected representative was allegedly involved in such an incident. Mamillapalli Jayaprakash alleged that the coalition government attempted to shield the MP but could not do so because other political figures were also present at the event. He said drugs and illicit liquor have become easily available in the region and demanded strict action against the MP. Chintalapudi in-charge Kambham Vijayaraju said the incident had forced the people of Eluru to bow their heads in embarrassment and exposed what he described as the coalition's willingness to give MP and MLA tickets to individuals lacking moral values. He demanded a comprehensive investigation to determine whether Mahesh Yadav had links to a larger drug network. Former minister Kurasala Kannababu, speaking to the media at his camp office in Kakinada, also condemned the incident and questioned why TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had not responded to the allegations. He said the episode raises serious questions about the TDP's credibility, especially when the party had run campaigns such as "Drugs Vaddhu Bro" claiming to build a drug-free society. Kannababu asked whether such slogans were merely publicity exercises while leaders within the party themselves were allegedly involved in drug-related activities. He criticised the coalition government for what he described as a series of scandals involving its leaders, saying one leader was caught in immoral conduct while another was allegedly involved in drugs. Kannababu further alleged that despite claims of creating a drug-free Andhra Pradesh, incidents of drug and ganja seizures continue to surface across the state. He cited recent cases in Madanapalle and Kuppam, as well as reports of large drug seizures near Ibrahimpatnam, and said the government has failed to control narcotics while the police are being used to file cases against political opponents. He accused the government of maintaining silence in the hope that the controversy would fade away and demanded that Chandrababu Naidu immediately clarify his position on the MP's alleged involvement. Kannababu said the people of the state are watching closely and urged the government to take decisive action against those responsible in order to send a strong message to society. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, former MLA TJR Sudhakarbabu also said Chandrababu should sack the MP after testing positive for taking drugs at a party held in Hyderabad. Terming TDP as "Telugu Drugs Party", Sudhakarbabu said liquor and drugs are freely available in the State, and the MP has shown his true colours. "It is for Chandrababu to take action, or it remains to be seen whether he activates his hotline with his Telangana counterpart to pull the MP out of the case. Chandrababu, though in coalition with Jana Sena and BJP, has an active hotline channel with Congress leadership, which he has used to sabotage the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation project, and now it remains to be seen what he does with the MP," said Sudhakarbabu.He said the MP is the son of a former TTD Chairman, and his taking drugs and being at the scene where bullets were fired defines his character. "Chandrababu has let the TTD Chairman BR Naidu get away, though his obscene videos went viral, and if he fails to take action against the MP, it sends a wrong message to society. We demand action against the MP and the TTD Chairman," he said. TDP MP Putta Mallesh Kumar was among 10 people detained during a raid by the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) team of the Telangana Police at the farmhouse of former BRS MLA Pilot Rohit Reddy in Moinabad in Rangareddy district. (ANI)
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