Jana Sena Party (JSP) president Pawan Kalyan has reiterated the need to prevent the splitting of the “anti-YSR Congress Party” votes in the 2024 elections and bring the JSP-TDP alliance to power for the development of Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing a massive public meeting organised to mark the conclusion of the Yuva Galam padayatra of TDP national general secretary N. Lokesh, at Polipalli in Vizianagaram district on December 20 (Wednesday), Mr. Pawan Kalyan regretted that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had been jailed by the Congress leaders, took revenge on TDP national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and sent him to jail in a false case.
Mr. Pawan Kalyan recalled that he had supported the TDP-BJP alliance in the 2014 elections and withdrew from contest. The alliance had won. But due to some “communication gap,” the TDP-JSP alliance could not be taken forward in the 2019 elections, which resulted in the YSRCP coming to power. He exuded confidence that the JSP-TDP alliance would form the government in the 2024 elections.
Saying that he had no personal enmity with Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the JSP chief said that he had even congratulated the YSRCP president on getting elected with an overwhelming majority. He had, however, began his rule with destruction, and showed scant respect for democracy. Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had even indulged in character assassination of women family members of the Opposition leaders, he alleged.
Mr. Pawan Kalyan said he had impressed upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the need to join the TDP-JSP alliance.
Mr. Lokesh, in his address, alleged that the YSRCP government had destroyed democracy and appealed to the people to show the power of democracy by defeating the YSRCP in the 2024 elections.
“Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy reminds me of the film ‘Appula Appa Rao’. He had sought one chance, and in the last four-and-a-half years, he borrowed ₹12 lakh crore as loans, plunging the State into a debt trap,” Mr. Lokesh said.
He alleged that the development of the State suffered a setback with no progress in any sector under the YSRCP rule. The YSRCP government was giving ₹10 and taking ₹100 from the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, he said. The money was being taken back in the form of hike in power tariffs, RTC fares and high taxation on petroleum products.
JSP PAC chairman Nadendla Manohar, Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna, TDP State president K. Atchannaidu and MP K. Rammohan Naidu were among those who spoke.
