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by IANS | Tue, Aug 30, 2022, 12:28 PM
Amaravati, Aug 30 (IANS) Unidentified persons ransacked the Anna Canteen set up by the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh's Kuppam town.
The canteen located near the Kuppam RTC Bus Stand was attacked and ransacked on Monday night. Banners and tents near the statue of TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao were also damaged.
This is the second time in less than a week that the Anna Canteen was attacked and ransacked.
Kuppam is the assembly constituency represented by TDP president and former CHief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Unidentified men also damaged the flexi of Naidu near R&B Guest House in the town.
TDP leaders have blamed ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for the attacks.
The town had witnessed clashes between activists of the two parties during Chandrababu Naidu's visit on August 25.
The clashes were triggered by the attack on Anna Canteen hours before it was to be inaugurated by Chandrababu Naidu.
Naidu had staged a sit-in on the road to register his protest against the vandalism by the ruling party. He alleged that the YSRCP was creating a law and order situation in Kuppam, which had always remained peaceful in the last four decades.
Anna Canteen is an eatery to supply subsidised food to the poor people. The scheme was launched during TDP rule but it was scrapped after YSRCP came to power in 2019.
The TDP had called it political vendetta as the canteens were named after TDP founder and former Chief minister N T Rama Rao, NTR, as the late leader was popularly known, was also affectionately called 'Anna' (elder brother).
Slamming Jagan Mohan Reddy for shutting down canteens, which were supplying meals to poor at Rs 5, the TDP has sent up Anna canteens at few places in the state.
The opposition party chose Kuppam for running Anna canteen. However, the ruling party leaders in the constituency opposed the move. They had called for a shutdown during Naidu's visit last week.
Naidu has been representing the Kuppam assembly constituency for the last seven consecutive terms. The constituency is witnessing political heat ever since YSRCP swept 90 per cent of the local bodies including Kuppam municipality last year.
Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party has vowed to defeat Chandrababu Naidu in his constituency in the 2024 elections.
