Andhra Pradesh government today strongly condemned the police lathi-charge on TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and other legislators by Maharashtra police.

"I strongly condemn the lathi-charge on Chandrababu Naidu and others by the Maharashtra police while they were being shifted from Dharmabad this morning," Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah said in a statement.

He also appealed the TDP cadres not to cause damage to public properties in the state in protest against the lathi-charge.

"Everyone has to observe restraint on a delicate issue like the Babhli dam. Our government is sincerely working to protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh in a democratic manner in accordance with the provisions of Constitution.

"I am leading an all-party delegation on the issue to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 23. I appeal to all political parties and people to join hands with the government in finding an amicable solution to the current problem," Rosaiah said.

Meanwhile, senior TDP MLAs N Janardhan Reddy and P Keshav, party general secretary Varla Ramaiah, MLC D Veerbhadra Rao and some party workers were arrested by police when they tried to storm into the Jubilee Hall, where Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was engaged in a meeting with Finance Ministers from southern states.

The TDP delegation wanted to meet Mukherjee and Rosaiah to lodge the party's protest over the lathi-charge on Naidu and others.

A delegation of senior TDP leaders met Governor E S L Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan this afternoon and urged him to initiate measures to persuade the Centre and the Maharashtra government to withdraw all cases against Naidu and others.

The delegation demanded that the Maharashtra government express regret over the ill-treatment meted out to the former chief minister, and other party leaders.

"We request you to report the matter to the President of India and protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh which is a lower riparian state," said the TDP delegation, comprising senior leaders Ummareddy Venkateswarlu, Nagam Janardhana Reddy, K Vijaya Rama Rao and others.

State Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah also condemned the "excesses" on the TDP leaders.

CPM State committee came down heavily on the Maharashtra government over the manner in which it treated the TDP leadership.

"We strongly condemn the manhandling and lathi-charge on Naidu and other TDP legislators by Maharashtra police," CPM politburo member and state secretary B V Raghavulu said.

CPI state secretary K Narayana and assistant secretary Ramakrishna also condemned the incident.