TDP and Congress Condemn Treatment of Cricketer Hanuma Vihari by YSRCP

TDP leader N. Chandrababu Naidu and Congress leader Y. S. Sharmila Reddy have denounced the treatment meted out to cricketer Hanuma Vihari, who announced his decision to never play for Andhra Pradesh following alleged pressure to step down as captain. Naidu criticized the Andhra Cricket Association for yielding to the "vindictive politics" of the YSRCP, expressing solidarity with Vihari and assuring him of support. Meanwhile, Sharmila Reddy termed the incident as "shameful" and called for an impartial inquiry into the matter, blaming the YSRCP government for its alleged interference in sports.

Sharmila accused the YSRCP of exhibiting authoritarianism in sports, expressing concern over the impact on players' confidence and future. She questioned the party's commitment to the welfare of athletes, highlighting the discrepancy between their actions and their previous promises of promoting sports in Andhra Pradesh.

Hanuma Vihari's Instagram post, which came after Andhra Pradesh's loss in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final, brought attention to the issue. He attributed his decision to step down as captain to the influence exerted by a player's politician father. The incident has sparked widespread criticism and raised questions about the state of sports governance in Andhra Pradesh under the YSRCP regime.