'Jagan aspired to become richer than Tata, Ambani': Chandrababu Naidu compares ex-Andhra CM to drug lord Pablo Escobar

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday launched a scathing attack on former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and compared him to Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. "I am the senior-most politician in the country and I have never seen a situation like it was in Andhra when Jagan was in power. There was only one person who can compare to what happened in Andhra, drug lord Pablo Escobar," Naidu said while releasing a White Paper in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

"Pablo Escobar is a Colombian drug lord, he is a narco-terrorist. He turned politician and then started his cartel to sell drugs. He earned $30 billion at that time, which is worth $90 billion now. He was arrested in 1976 and in 1980 he became the number one richest drug lord in the world," Naidu said.

"One can become richer by selling drugs as well. What was the aim of the former Chief Minister (YS Jagan)? Tata, Reliance, Ambani have money and he aspired to become richer than them. Few have needs, few have greed and few have mania and these maniacs do these kinds of things."

Naidu, who returned to power in the state after five years, also targeted Jagan for the law and order situation during the latter's rule in Andhra Pradesh. He said Andhra Pradesh had become the "Ganja capital" in the country under Jagan Mohan Reddy. "Ganja is easily available in every single village in Andhra Pradesh now. Has the former chief minister addressed the issue even once during his tenure?," the TDP chief said.

Naidu said that the YSRCP leaders used to "terrorise people" when they were in power. The chief minister also recalled the murder of YSRCP MLC Ananta Satya Udaya Bhaskar's driver in 2022, as an example of the law and order situation during the Jagan government. He said that the driver was killed and "door delivered" to his house.

Ananta Bhaskar was arrested for allegedly killing his former driver Veedhi Subramanyam in May 2023. The police had said that Ananta Bhaskar had murdered Subramanyam, but later pushed him out of the car to make it seem like he died due to an accident. Ananta even went to Subramanyam's house to deliver the body and told the driver's family that he had died due to an accident.

Naidu's attack comes a day after Jagan Mohan Reddy staged a protest in Delhi against alleged deteriorating law and order situation and violence in Andhra Pradesh. Reddy's protest at the Jantar Mantar was against what he dubbed as a "worsening law-and-order situation" in Andhra following the recent elections.

(With inputs from Apoorva Jayachandran)