YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday said that the arrangements made for the Krishna Pushkarams were a part of the vote bank politics of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who got temples and statues at various locations in Vijayawada demolished in the name of development.
Speaking to the media after taking a holy dip at the Punnami Ghat and making ‘pinda pradanam’ to his father and former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Opposition leader said: “Mr. Naidu gave such an extensive publicity to the festival that it gave the impression that not taking a dip in the river is tantamount to committing a sin. Who will compensate for the loss of lives during the last one week?”
He also alleged that lands belonging to Sadavarti Satram in Chennai were gifted to persons acting as benami to ruling party leaders.
“The day will soon come when Mr. Naidu has to pay a price for all his misdeeds,” he asserted, and demanded that Rs. 20 lakh be paid as ex gratia to the next of kin of those who died during the pushkarams.
Earlier, Mr. Reddy called on Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswati at Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Labbipet and sought his blessings.
MLAs Kodali Nani and Rakshana Nidhi and leaders Kolusu Parthasarathy, S. Udaya Bhanu, Lella Appi Reddy, and Talasila Raghuram were present.
