Dalit leaders including many in the ruling TDP expressed their displeasure at the sight of former Amalapuram MP Harsh Kumar touching Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu‘s feet. Many in social media platforms questioned the need to stoop to such levels for a ticket. President of all India Dalit rights Federation, Ananda Rao criticised the actions of the former MP saying that till very recently he had been abusing Chandrababu Naidu in the strongest of terms.

Ananda Rao further said that Harsh Kumar would not command their respect even if he got a tickert at the cost of his self-respect and by touching Chandrababu Naidu's feet. He pointed out that a hand shake was a symbol of standing on equal footing while touching someone's feet amounted to feudalism and slavery. The Dalit leader accused Harshkumar of falling at Chandrababu Naidu's feet at the sake of earning a position. s Nageswar Rao, Jai Bheem Foundation chairman and Dalit activist wondered how such a person could protect the rights and self-respect of Dalit community.

While condemning Chandrababu Naidu's treatment of Dalits and Harsh Kumar's submissive behaviour, netizens rained praises on YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. They said that in contrast, YS Jagan treated Dalits with great respect as exemplified in the case of the bapatla Lok Sabha candidate, Nandigama Suresh Babu. It may be recalled that the poor Dalit from Guntur who was once an agricultural labourer was not only given the Bapatla seat but asked by the YSRCP president to read out the list of Lok Sabha Candidates on Sunday at Idupulapaya.

Social media users hailed YS Jagan's egalitarian approach and slammed Chandrababu's feudal manner in contrast and placed the photographs of Nandigama suresh with YS Jagan and Harshkumar touching the feet of the TDP supremo side by side.

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