The TDP leaders initially thought under Gowtham Sawang as AP DGP, they would get a fair deal to some extent at least. But slowly, they realised his helplessness and started criticising him in various issues. Sawang could not respond even in SC, ST atrocities cases being filed against TDP leaders in different police stations. Now, DGP has become helpless even if a police lathi is allegedly used by anti-social elements to disturb Chandrababu Naidu convoy in Amaravati visit.

Now, the TDP leaders are asking DGP to clarify how a police lathi landed in the hands of rowdy elements. The opposition leaders are making direct attacks on the DGP style of functioning. The TDP leaders are also wondering whether there is any comparison between Sawang during his stint as Vijayawada police commissioner and now.

Sawang was known for his tough handling of the call money scam. He struck fear among the anti-social elements in Vijayawada city limits in those days. The TDP leaders are upset that such an IPS officer is now behaving like a YCP activist like any other lower level police officer. During the TDP regime, Thakur was DGP and he did not get entangled in political issues much. There was no blatant misuse of police machinery and atrocities cases against rivals at that time.