TDP MP Galla Jayadev Stages Dharna Over IT Raids, Says Targeted For Speaking Against PM

Guntur MP Galla Jayadev staged a dharna outside the collector's office late Tuesday night after the IT sleuths raided his residences.

New Delhi: Hours after Income tax sleuths raided Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Galla Jayadev’s properties, the MP staged a dharna and walked up to the Guntur collector’s office in protest against the ‘crackdown’.

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Speaking to media on Tuesday, the TDP MP said, “It is happening at three locations where my election team was staying. I am demanding an explanation of why we are being targeted. This country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going down a fascist path. Because I have spoken against him, initiated a non-confidence motion against him, I am being targeted like this.”

Galla, an industrialist and the managing director of Amara Raja Group, was the richest candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. He’s the face of TDP’s attack against NDA over the issue of special status for Andhra Pradesh.

“Why is TDP being targeted in Andhra Pradesh? If EC and all government agencies are working impartially it should be happening to people of all parties. This is an attempt by the government to influence the elections. We are moving towards a state of emergency in the country,” Galla claimed to news agency ANI.

Earlier on Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had alleged that various leaders, including the Prime Minister, are “acting vindictively” against the state.

Alleging the same, TDP spokesperson Lanka Dinakar, who participated in the dharna led by Galla, exclaimed, “This IT raid against Jayadev is because he called on Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha. He is now being agonised ahead of the elections. Jayadev is one of the highest taxpayers in Andhra.”

With ANI inputs