Concluding his record, 208-day “Vastunna.. Mee Kosam” padayatra with an agenda that assured relief to all sections of people and empathising with the hardship of people in the Congress dispensation, former chief minister and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu assailed corruption in the Congress rule as the root cause of all problems and the inability of AICC president Sonia Gandhi to rein in the late chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy.
Addressing an overflowing crowd at the AU Engineering College Grounds here and drawing from his experience during the padayatra, he reiterated his firm commitment to write off all farm loans from all the banks to ensure remunerative prices to farmers groaning under increasing cost of agriculture without commensurate increase to their farm produce. “My first signature will be on waiver of agriculture loans,” he declared. The second one would be to provide relief to women suffering under the proliferation of belt shops with men folk falling prey to the bottle. Special courts would be set up to try crime against women and protect them.
Alleging that there had been an all-round failure of governance in the Congress rule, he said the padayatra was only the beginning of his sustained struggle for the welfare of people in the State. It was the love and affection of people that propelled him in the padayatra. Earlier, he arrived at the venue of the meeting hours behind in a rally of 24 km from Aganampudi where he unveiled a pylon accompanied by actor Balakrishna. A galaxy of leaders, including Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Payyavula Kesav, Revant Reddy, Errabellli Dayakara Rao, Motkupalli Narasimhulu, Kala Venkata Rao, M.V.V.S. Murthy and Bandaru Satyanaryana Murthy among others, were present. A host of leaders who spoke asserted TDP would return to power and Mr. Naidu would become Chief Minister again. Mr. Balakrishna described Mr. Naidu as an able administrator who followed in the footsteps of the party founder and his father NTR. He said Mr. Naidu would again become chief minister.
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He criticised the power surcharges that the government imposed. Mr. Naidu reiterated the BC declaration promising 100 seats for them, a sub-plan of Rs.10,000 crore, reservations for Kapus, a Rs.5,000 crore plan for them, quota for the poor among forward castes, interest waiver for DWCRA women, houses for government employees, among other things. Housing for the poor, welfare of the poor and the infirm would be given priority. Policies declared by the party for SCs and minorities would be implemented. His priority would be to set right the power sector that affected industry heavily and resulted in lay-offs. Padayatra in-charge Garikapati Mohana Rao narrated the firm resolve of Mr. Naidu to complete the yatra in spite of the setbacks and health problems he suffered. Ramamohan Naidu, son of late Yerran Naidu, made his mark.