Punishing the guilty is our policy, not political vendetta, asserts Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu

Chief Minster N. Chandrababu Naidu during the Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday told his Cabinet colleagues that vendetta politics was not the government’s approach. He, however, asserted that those who committed wrong could not escape punishment.

“Punishing the guilty is our policy; political vendetta is not our approach,” Mr. Naidu told the Ministers who felt that the YSRCP leaders who had committed wrongdoings when in power were roaming free.

“How is it justified to say that Jagan (former Chief Minister and YSRCP president) be sent to jail just because I was sent to jail during the previous YSRCP rule?” Mr. Naidu asked when some of the Ministers expressed such a desire, sources said.

Mr. Naidu said the government should not retaliate unjustly because the YSRCP harassed the Opposition leaders during its regime.

“A transparent investigation is underway into the charges of corruption and irregularities of the previous government. Once a crime is proven, no one will be spared, no matter what their stature is. Punishing the guilty is our policy; political vendetta is not our approach. Everyone must observe this difference clearly,” Mr. Naidu said.

When a Minister asked, “Didn’t Mr. Jagan commit mistakes? Why shouldn’t we take action?”, Mr. Naidu said, “If there is evidence that he committed mistakes and if he is caught under the law, we should act. Ministers must be very careful.”

The Chief Minister observed that earlier criminals used to flee fearing the government, but now the situation changed. “The ganja batch is committing crimes and blaming the government,” he quipped.

Mr. Naidu appreciated the Ministers for their performance in the first one year, but urged them to work even harder. He suggested that they made plans for the upcoming year. While acknowledging that welfare programmes had been implemented well, he emphasised that whatever was done must empower the people.

Published - June 04, 2025 07:33 pm IST