Hyderabad:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has been injured after he was hit by a stone thrown by an unidentified person during a campaign in Vijayawada.
The YSR Congress Party chief campaigned on a bus on Saturday as part of his Memantha Siddham (which roughly translates to 'We Are Ready') Bus Yatra. The rock hit the prime minister above his left eyebrow, narrowly missing his eye and reportedly requiring two stitches.
Party sources said the stone was thrown from a nearby school. “The attack is a conspiracy of the TDP alliance. (TDP chief and former chief minister) Chandrababu Naidu's nervousness is visible,” said a YSRCP member.
The incident was condemned by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin.
“I condemn throwing stones at Hon'ble Andhra Pradesh CM Thiru @ysjagan. Political disagreements should never escalate into violence. Let us uphold civility and mutual respect as we participate in the democratic process. I wish him a speedy recovery,” he wrote on X
I condemn stone throwing at Honorable Andhra Pradesh CM Thiru @ysjagan.
Political disagreements should never escalate into violence. Let us uphold civility and mutual respect as we participate in the democratic process. I wish him a speedy recovery. https://t.co/YtYoOJbVy1
— MKStalin (@mkstalin) April 13, 2024
A video showed Mr. Reddy standing on top of the vehicle and greeting the crowd that had gathered on the side of the road. The video then cuts to him holding his hand over his left eye. One of the people with him dabbed his left eyebrow with a cloth and the Prime Minister greeted the crowd with folded hands before boarding the bus.
He was treated by doctors on the bus and then continued his campaign.
Elections to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held on May 13. The YSRCP had won 151 of the Assembly seats and 22 Lok Sabha constituencies in 2019. This time, the ruling party is facing a challenge from an alliance of the TDP, BJP and the Jana Sena.