Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has made Andhra Pradesh number one in farmer suicides and pushed the farming sector into a debt trap, alleges Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu.
“Development in the State is a mirage under the YSRCP government,” Mr. Naidu said while addressing a public meeting at the party’s ‘Raa Kadali Raa’ campaign here on January 28 (Sunday).
Referring to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s claim during the YSRCP’s ‘Siddham’ programme near Visakhapatnam on January 27 that he was “Arjuna and not Abhimanyu,” the TDP supremo said, “Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy is neither Arjuna nor Abhimanyu. He is like Bhasmasura, a demon, who is out to destroy people by placing his hands on their heads.”
“Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is the richest among the Chief Ministers in India, is trying to hoodwink the people and come to power again by claiming that he represents the poor,” Mr. Naidu said.
The YSRCP government had driven away the industrialists from the State by harassing them. Industrialists such as Galla Jaydev (who is also TDP’s Member of Parliament) were unwilling to continue in politics as their companies had been forced to move out to Telangana, the TDP chief said.
“YSRCP leaders are reluctant to contest on the party ticket again,” he said, and added that leaders such as Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy of Nellore district were harassed and forced to quit the ruling party because they tried to correct Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s “evil ways,” Mr. Naidu said.
TDP promises
Referring to Nellore as a hub for aquaculture, Mr. Naidu promised to develop the sector upon coming to power.
Reiterating his promises of creating 20 lakh jobs in five years, offering unemployment allowance to youth, among others, Mr. Naidu said he would not rest till he made the Telugu people number one in the world.
Earlier, the TDP chief arrived at the ZP High School grounds at Kanaparthipadu on the outskirts of Nellore, from where he reached the public meeting venue. The TDP cadre from all over Nellore, Tirupati, and Prakasam districts thronged the venue.
‘Vision-2029 shattered’
Later, addressing the ‘Raa Kadali Raa’ public meeting at Pattikonda in Kurnool district, Mr. Naidu appealed to the people to unite to put an end to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s “atrocious rule.”
He accused the Chief Minister of undoing his Vision-2029, which included development of Amaravati into a world-class capital city, completion of Polavaram project, industrial progress and empowerment of youth.
“Five-crore people of the State should become my star campaigners, and chase away Bhasmasura,” Mr. Naidu said.
Reiterating his commitment to bringing the waters of Srisailam, Tungabadhra, and Godavari to the parched Rayalaseema region, the TDP chief said industrial projects such as textile park at Emmiganur and Information Technology projects would be developed in the region if the TDP-JSP combined was voted to power.
Alleging that all the seven YSRCP legislators in Kurnool parliamentary constituency were neck-deep in corruption, Mr. Naidu said they made money by selling Karnataka liquor and indulging in sand smuggling. The YSRCP leaders were looting sand from all the reaches in the district, he alleged.
“While criminals are moving freely in society, it is unfortunate that the accused in Kodi-Kathi case, J. Srinivas, a Dalit, has been languishing in jail without bail for the last five years,” Mr. Naidu said.
