Dharmabad (Nanded), July 17: It was distressing experience for the former Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, and 73 Telugu Desam leaders including women MLAs who were confined in a hall in the ITI centre with just a single toilet and no basic amenities including drinking water.
Mr Naidu and other arrested leaders had to sleep on floor braving a horde of mosquitoes the whole night.In between they also lost power for several hours and became desperate for drinking water.
In the morning, things got worse as there was only one toilet, and some leaders had to use the bushes to defecate.
However, Mr Naidu tried to boost their morale by saying that they should face all challenges. “We should not leave Dharmabad till we visit Babli,” he said.
But this pep talk was no comfort to those MLAs who had blood pressure and diabetes and were used to better comforts back home.
“Mr Naidu was Chief Minister for nine years and the way he was treated by the Maharashtra government is sad,” said the former home minister, Mr T. Devender Goud. “We had no drinking water, no electricity for five hours and no food. We had to sleep on the floor.’’
However, the Dharmabad Shiv Sena leader, Mr Ramachandra Reddy, said Mr Naidu and other leaders were provided decent AC accommodation and said the AP media was exaggerating things. “We are not cruel to deny food and water to our guests,” he said. “The media reports are disgusting.’’
He also warned that if the Andhra leaders tried to force their way to into Babli there will be serious repercussions. ``Let him fight in Delhi. Why should they come here,’’ fumed Mr Reddy, who speaks fluent Telugu.