“Does anyone wish to be born as an SC?..” This is one of the most outrageous statements of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu that earned him negativity at an iconic level. The TDP bandwagon always fumes whenever their leader Chandrababu Naidu is loathed for his discriminatory comments against Dalits. They will be in pain in their defence, saying that their leader is mostly misunderstood and his comments tweaked. But after hearing what Chandrababu Naidu shockingly uttered in full public view in Singanamala of Anantapur district on Friday, the TDP men will surely have nowhere to hide.

In one of the most distasteful public outbursts, exposing his innate feudal mindset, Chandrababu Naidu went on to insult and humiliate Mannepakala Veeranjaneyulu, the Dalit candidate of the YSRCP. Trying to make fun of YSRCP chief YS Jagan’s decision to field Veeranjaneyulu, a tipper truck driver, Chandrababu Naidu ended up insulting the Dalit leader, based on his profession and his social stature as a poor man.

వైయస్‌ఆర్‌సీపీ పేదల పార్టీ కాబట్టి మాలాంటి పేదలకి జగనన్న ఎమ్మెల్యే టికెట్లు ఇచ్చారు. @JaiTDPది పెత్తందారుల పార్టీ కాబట్టి @ncbn కోటీశ్వరులకి టికెట్లు ఇచ్చారు.

-శింగనమల వైయస్‌ఆర్‌సీపీ ఎమ్మెల్యే అభ్యర్థి వీరాంజనేయులు#TDPAntiDalit#TDPJSPBJPCollapse#MosagaduBabu#EndOfTDP pic.twitter.com/OaF4iAPqoJ

— YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) March 29, 2024

Addressing a gathering during his campaign rally, Chandrababu Naidu breached all barriers of basic decencies to castigate the Dalit candidate. Singanamala is an Assembly constituency reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SCs).

“YS Jagan should really be complimented and patted for his decision. He did not choose the husband of the MLA (Jonnnalagadda Padmavathi) but gave the ticket to their tipper (lorry) driver. Isn’t that right? I was told about this when I was coming here. Finally, Jagan is relying on those who can only use their fingerprints (inferring that Veeranjaneyulu is illiterate). He should really be applauded for this,” said Chandrababu Naidu, much to the dismay of his own party leaders.

And throughout this mindless rant, Chandrababu was giggling to mock Veeranjaneyulu’s candidacy as if it was the most farcical thing on the face of the earth. If belittling the Dalit leader and his poverty is one half of the story, the TDP chief also goofed up big time by erroneously describing Veeranjaneyulu as an illiterate. He presumed straight away that a tipper truck driver is worth not more than a fingerprint user (nishaani). But as facts trickled out, Veeranjaneyulu turns out to be a postgraduate (MA).

By hurling yet another jaw-dropping statement in full public glare, Chandrababu Naidu instantly set the social media platforms on fire with netizens slamming the veteran leader for his insensitive comments. The YSRCP leaders and cadre have found a goldmine in this which they have been using to their advantage ever since.

In a stark contrast, Veeranjaneyulu reacted to Chandrababu Naidu’s snobbish remarks with grace, poise and dignity. Unruffled, he turned the tables on the opposition party, saying that the comments once again proved the perception that their (YSRCP) party stands with the poor while the TDP sides with the feudalists.