TASTE OF LIBERTY: TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu offering sweets to former Minister P. Ramasubba Reddy after his released from jail on Tuesday. — PHOTO: SATISH H.

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu, while hailing the acquittal of former Minister P. Rama Subba Reddy in the sensational Shadnagar double murder case, said it was proof that justice would ultimately prevail.

"We are all very happy at Mr. Reddy's release," he said, addressing a packed gathering, mainly from Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district at the party headquarters here with a beaming Mr. Rama Subba Reddy by his side.

Mr. Naidu said in the past 30 months since the Congress took the reins of power in the State, 108 TDP leaders and cadres were killed.

Dozens of senior party leaders had cases registered against them on trumped-up charges.

At least with Mr. Reddy's acquittal, the Congress should understand that violence does not pay in a democracy and give up the policy of revenge, he said.

Hero's welcome

Earlier, in the afternoon, Mr. Reddy arrived to a hero's welcome in a convoy of vehicles and as crackers burst slogans from hundreds of his supporters outside the party office rent the air.

Traffic on the busy road leading to Jubilee Hills came to a halt.

Accompanied by his wife Indira, his son and daughter, he greeted Mr. Naidu with a bouquet and touched his feet. The party president welcomed him with a hug and posed for photographs.

Among those who welcomed Mr. Reddy outside the Central Prison, Cherlapalli, were MPs M.V. Mysoora Reddy and C. Ramachandraiah, MLA G. Sayanna, party leader from Vempalli in Kadapa, Satish Kumar Reddy, and a member of the BJP's Legal Cell, G.V. Gyaneshwar.

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