The victory of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the 2024 elections is “almost certain,” its national general secretary N. Lokesh has asserted.
“The police personnel who are hand-in-glove with the YSRCP leaders will be dismissed if the charges against them are proved,” Mr. Lokesh said while addressing the media here on Tuesday.
Earlier, Mr. Lokesh called on the party leaders, who included former MLC G. Srinivasulu, at the sub-jail where they were in remand under various sections of the IPC in connection with the violent incidents witnessed during party national president N. Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to Kuppam recently.
Mr. Lokesh, showing certain video clips to substantiate his allegation that the police were behind the attack on the Anna Canteen at Kuppam, said the party was considering the option of filing private cases against the police to counter the “false cases against the TDP cadre.”
He said former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, during his six-year tenure, had never interfered with the affairs of Kuppam, as a result of which it remained peaceful.
“But Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has stopped development of Kuppam,” Mr. Lokesh alleged, and cited as examples the stalling of the HNSS works, housing schemes, and projects costing ₹1,400 crore.
“When Mr. Naidu was the Chief Minister, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was provided four rope parties to enable him to go ahead with his campaign,” Mr. Lokesh said.
Questioning Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy and and Energy Minister P. Ramachandra Reddy as to what they had done for Kuppam in the last three years, Mr. Lokesh alleged that the “duo have turned it into a den for the granite mafia.”
Responding to Mr. Ramachandra Reddy’s claim that the government had allocated ₹60 crore for Kuppam’s development, Mr. Lokesh said, “During my tenure as a Minister in the TDP government, I had sanctioned works costing ₹300 crore for Kuppam. This was in addition to thousands of crores allocated by Mr. Naidu.”
Meanwhile, keeping in view the recent disturbances, the Chittoor police put in place tight security during Mr. Lokesh’s visit.
The TDP cadre accorded him a rousing reception as his convoy passed through various junctions along the Tirupati-Bengaluru National Highway.
After calling on the TDP leaders in the jail, Mr. Lokesh left for Puthalapattu mandal to call on the party cadre and their families who were allegedly harassed by the police at the behest of the YSRCP leaders.
A large number of party cadre thronged Chittoor from various mandals in Tirupati, Nellore and Annamayya districts.
