Invoking the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder of N.T. Rama Rao, party’s national president N. Chandrababu Naidu sounded the bugle for 2024 Assembly election in Andhra Pradesh, at the ‘Mini-Mahandu’ programme Chodavaram on Wednesday.
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Beginning his year-long tour of districts with the slogan ‘NTR Sphoorty- Chandranna Bharosa’ (NTR’s inspiration and Chandranna’s assurance’, Mr. Naidu alleged that that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had taken the State 30 years backward. He urged the people to bring the TDP back to power, assuring that he would ‘rebuild the State’.
Mr. Naidu said that NTR had always stood for social justice and the TDP has been following the same principle. “The Chief Minister dreams of making three capitals in the State, but does not have the capacity to repair the roads riddled with potholes. He has not come out with the job calendar. Industries and the IT sector have taken a beating during the YSRCP rule,” said the former Chief Minister.
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Criticising Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy for boasting of providing jobs through volunteer service, Mr. Naidu said each volunteer, a number of them who are B.Tech graduates, were being paid ₹5,000 per month.
“Even if you are paid ₹500 per day, one should earn at least ₹15,000 per month. During the TDP rule, we have brought the IT sector and B. Tech students earning from ₹50,000 to ₹ 1 lakh per month.. The YSRCP government has failed on all fronts,” he said.
He alleged that corruption had ‘reached the zenith as liquor and sand mafia were ruling the roost under the direct patronage of the Chief Minister’.
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Pointing out at the ‘vindictive attitude’ of the government, he alleged that cases were being booked against leaders and those who dared to question it.
Mr. Naidu alleged that the witnesses in Vivekananda Reddy’s murder case were being silenced. “Three witnesses have died under different circumstances so far,” he pointed out.
He questioned what the Chief Minister had done for the Sujala Sravanthi project in the north Andhra region.
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“During the the TDP rule, I sanctioned ₹2,500 crore for the project and called for tender so that over 30 lakh people would benefit and about 8 lakh acres would come under cultivation. But the YSRCP government did not take it forward. The Polavaram project has come to a standstill. There has been no progress even after reverse tendering,” he said.
Accusing the police of harassing the people, Mr. Naidu asked the policemen to do a self-introspection on what they were doing.
He blamed the YSRCP government for the violence at Amalapuram over renaming Konassema district after Dr. BR. Ambedkar. Mr. Naidu assured to take up the issues of jaggery farmers of Anakapalli, if voted to power.
Referring to Rushikonda, he said that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had ‘razed down’ the Rushikonda hill. “I was not allowed to visit the spot. I had survived a mine attack at Alipiri. I am not afraid of threats,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Naidu was given a rousing reception at Visakhapatnam airport and at the roadshows at Gajuwaka, Anakapalli and Venkannapalem. TDP leaders Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, Pala Srinivasa Rao, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, V. Anitha and others were present.