SOMBRE MOMENTS: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu and TDPP leader K. Yerran Naidu paying homage to K. Suryapratap Reddy at Tadipatri on Tuesday .

TADIPATRI: Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu has held Panchayat Raj Minister J. C. Diwakar Reddy and his brother J. C. Prabhakar Reddy responsible for the murder of ex-MLA K. Suryapratap Reddy, also known as Sureedu.

He asked Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Tuesday to dismiss Mr. Diwakar Reddy from the Cabinet as he could influence the investigation of the killing, and book cases against the Minister and his brother.

The TDP chief said his party would build a people's movement against political and factional killings. He urged the Chief Minister to end political killings or else step down, if he was not in a position to contain the killings. Mr. Naidu mentioned that 83 TDP leaders and activists, including 33 in Anantapur district, were killed in the State since Congress assumed power.

Mr. Naidu flew in here from Hyderabad in a helicopter along with K. Yerran Naidu, MP, and paid homage to the slain leader at the latter's home in the evening. Condemning the killing, he said the untimely death of Sureedu was a loss to him personally and politically.

Faction rivalry

Speaking to mediapersons later, Mr. Naidu termed the killing as "uncivilised, inhuman and heinous", particularly because the victim was ailing with health problems. There was no safety to people who raised voice against the Government leaders and activists now, he felt.

He said Sureedu was killed in the same fashion as Paritala Ravindra. Both were incapacitated in different means by forcing the key supporters away.

He felt that Sureedu had not taken enough precaution as he had not perceived threat seriously due to his ailing.

Reacting to Mr. Diwakar Reddy's statement that the killing was a result of old factional rivalry, he sought to know as to why additional security was not provided to Sureedu if the Minister was aware of it.

The Minister was victimising his political rivals, Mr. Naidu alleged.

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