Claiming that public resentment against the YSRCP government is growing in Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary Nara Lokesh has said that employment generation will be the major plank of his party in the forthcoming elections.
“Since January 2022, I have walked over 3,100 km in the State during my Yuva Galam padayatra. One thing I can say for certain is that there is a large-scale resentment against the bad governance of the YSRCP,” he told The Hindu on the last day of his Yuva Galam padayatra on December 18 (Monday).
Alleging that corruption had peaked during the YSRCP rule in the State, the TDP leader said people were unhappy that the government was trying to pay back the massive debt incurred in the last four years to fund the welfare schemes by “increasing the prices of essential commodities, power bill, APSRTC bus fares and house taxes.”
Started as a platform for a “voice for views”, the Yuva Galam has become the ‘voice of Andhra’ now, he said.
“We were under the impression that only the youth were unhappy. But, the Yuva Galam yatra has revealed that be it women or small-time traders, daily wagers or industrialists, every section of the society is unhappy with the YSRCP rule,” said Mr. Lokesh.
He said that employment generation would be the prime poll plank. “The vision of our (TDP) leader N. Chandrababu Naidu is very clear. We believe in sustainable development. Welfare and employment will ensure sustainable living. We will create at least 20 lakh jobs if the TDP is voted to power,” said Mr. Lokesh.
Welfare schemes
Launching a broadside at what he called “tall claims” of the YSRCP on welfare schemes, Mr. Lokesh said, “An auto-rickshaw driver is getting ₹12,000 under a scheme. However, he is shelling out around ₹40,000 per annum for increased fuel prices, taxes and charges. It means the government is taking back more than double of what it is giving under welfare schemes.”
Mr. Lokesh was highly critical of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s decision to set up three capitals to ensure decentralised development.
“Decentralised development will happen only when there is decentralised economic activity based on the strength of the localities. When we (TDP) assumed the office in 2014 after the State bifurcation, we said that Amravati would be our only capital. However, we spread industrial development across the State—from North Andhra to Rayalaseema. We did not bring at least 1% of the industries to Amaravati,” he said.
Three capital
The TDP leader alleged that the three-capital move was aimed at “creating a rift among the people from different regions”. “In 2019, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy played caste politics to divide the people. Now, he is using regional feeling to drive a wedge between the people of various regions in the State,” he said.
Mr. Lokesh, who was camping at the VSP township, said that the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) was an emotive issue for the State and the Telugu people. “We have to work out a credible solution. The VSP, in the last couple of decades, has paid back ₹55,000 crore to the Centre against an investment of ₹5,000 crore. We just cannot allow VSP to be privatised. We will find a workable solution after taking views of all stakeholders,” he said.
Referring to the tie-up with the Jana Sena Party (JSP), Mr. Lokesh said that there was a good understanding between both parties. “The synergy is now seeping down to the cadre level. We will put our heart and soul and ensure a sweeping victory in the elections. If there are minor hiccups, they will be ironed out in due course,” he said, while pointing towards the large contingent from the JSP cadre who joined the Yuva Galam padayatra.
Cases against Naidu
He also made it clear that Mr. Naidu would come clean from all cases that were “foisted upon” him by the APCID.
“The CID officials could not provide tangible evidence against Mr. Naidu even three months after the cases were registered. First, they said that the alleged skill development scam was of around ₹3,000 crore, then they brought it down to ₹370 crore. Now, it is about just ₹27 crore. Mr. Naidu was Chief Minister for 16 years and the Leader of Opposition for 15 years. Do you (people) think the man, who was instrumental in building the high-tech city in Hyderabad, Sri City or AP MedTech Zone, will swindle ₹ 27 crore? No one will believe this,” said Mr. Lokesh.
“The TDP-JSP combine sweep the polls in 2024 and Mr. Naidu will become the Chief Minister once again,” said Mr. Lokesh.
Amaravati again
Clearing the air from which constituency he would like to contest, he said, “The TDP’s weakest link is Amaravati. In 2019, I lost from there. I take it up as a challenge and will contest from there once again. People have seen me working in the last four years. They are with me.”