Hyderabad: Leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh assembly and YSR Congress party (YSRCP) president YS Jaganmohan Reddy has sparked a major row by suggesting that people like the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu should be shot in public.

The emotional outburst, which has triggered strong reaction from ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), came in an election campaign speech in Nandyal assembly constituency in Kurnool district.

TDP and YSRCP are locked in a fierce battle for the assembly by-election slated for August 23.

Addressing a mammoth public meeting last evening, Reddy described the by-election as “a holy war”.

Alleging that Naidu was indulging in duplicity, double dealing and treachery, Reddy said, “a person like Chandrababu should be shot in public for double speak and unending deeds of corruption”.

The by-election in the faction-ridden Kurnool district was necessitated by the death of a senior TDP legislator Bhuma Venkat Nagi Reddy. He was originally elected in 2014 on a YSRCP ticket but later defected to ruling TDP. Reddy feels that the time has come for him to wrest the seat back.

He has fielded local powerful leader Shilpa Mohan Reddy as party candidate. The TDP has suffered a setback as his brother and MLC Shilpa Chakrapani Reddy resigned from the party as well as Legislative Council and joined YSRCP.

Reddy’s no-holds barred attack on Naidu questioned his political morality for encouraging defections from YSRCP. “Having caused the death of his father-in-law NT Rama Rao by toppling his government, Naidu doesn’t think twice before using NTR’s photos in election campaign”, he said.

Jagan’s fierce attack has evoked strong condemnation by several ministers and senior TDP leaders. One of them, Buddha Venkanna, said there was a threat to Chandrababu’s life from Reddy and his political adviser, Prashant Kishor.

He questioned how Jagan can talk of shooting Chandrababu after looting millions of rupees and spending 16 months in jail.

TDP was also planning to take the matter to the election commission. Deputy Chief Minister Chinna Rajappa said, “the EC will take care of Jagan’s remarks”.

“People are getting ready to shoot the YSRCP with their ballots”, another Minister, S Chandramohan Reddy, said.