TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday challenged the YSRCP to ask its MPs to resign to secure Special Category Status (SCS) to State and to press for implementation of all assurances given at the time of bifurcation.
“The three TDP MPs, and TDP candidate Panabaka Lakshmi, if elected, are ready to put in their papers for the State’s cause,” he said while addressing a series of meetings in the Venkatagiri Assembly segment of the Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency in Nellore district.
All sections of people were dissatisfied with the “misrule” of the YSRCP, which had got the mandate to secure SCS for the State in the 2019 elections.
It was unfortunate that the YSRCP failed to extract SCS to the State for 15 years, a promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tirupati. He also accused the government of giving a go-by to its poll promise of introducing prohibition in phases.
Ms. Lakshmi said it was unfortunate that the YSRCP, instead of questioning the BJP for promising SCS to Puducherry after denying it to Andhra Pradesh, chose to campaign for the saffron party in the Union Territory.
‘I am not after CM post’
As enthusiastic party workers greeted him as future Chief Minister at Rapur, Mr. Naidu said, “I am not after the post. I am more worried over the State suffering because of the inept government.”
“I am perturbed over the wrong policies of the YSRCP government as the future of youth is at stake. I will stay put in Tirupati for eight days to enlighten people on the need for teaching a lesson to the YSRCP in the byelection,” he added.
Lockdown imposed to combat COVID-19 had provided a conducive atmosphere to wean people away from liquor. But the YSRCP government had gone to the extent of making school teachers oversee the queue for sale of liquor. History will not forgive the YSRCP government that vied with the Centre to impose hefty taxes on people, which led to skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, Mr. Naidu said.
Picking holes in the government’s new sand policy, Mr. Naidu recalled that he had ensured sand free of cost to people. Now the key construction material was out of reach for the people as it made its way to Chennai and Bengaluru clandestinely.