VIJAYAWADA: TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh concluded his Yuva Galam padayatra at Shivaji Nagar in the Gajuwaka Assembly constituency of Visakhapatnam on Monday. Lokesh unveiled a pylon, marking the conclusion of the walkathon even as TDP activists burst crackers and raised slogans. On the final day, Lokesh’s mother, Bhuvaneswari and his other family members, and TDP State President K Atchhannaidu participated in the programme.
The Yuva Galam Padayatra culminated at the same location where the TDP supremo and his father N Chandrababu Naidu completed his ‘Vastunna Mee Kosam’ padayatra in 2013. A public meeting, ‘Yuva Galam - Navasakam’, will be conducted at Polipalli near Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district on December 20. JSP president Pawan Kalyan, and TDP leaders, including the party supremo, will be present.
Lokesh had commenced the yatra at Kuppam in Chittoor district on January 27. Initially, he had planned to walk 4,000 kms for 400 days and culminate the yatra at Ichchapuram in Srikakulam district. However, he was forced to suspend the walkathon for over two months following the arrest of his father in connection with the AP State Skill Development Corporation scam case. With the Assembly elections just a few months away, he decided to cut his padayatra short.
Throughout his 226-day walkathon, the 40-year-old covered 3,132 km across 100 Assembly constituencies in 11 combined districts of Andhra Pradesh. He participated in 70 public meetings, 155 face-to-face meetings, 12 special programmes, and eight Rachabanda programmes. He also received 4,353 written petitions from the public. Around 1.5 crore people reportedly met the TDP leader and shared their problems. In Vizag, he interacted with Steel Plant displaced persons and asserted that the TDP would never allow for the privatisation of the plant.
“As soon as we come to power, we will certainly raise our voice in Parliament against privatisation of the Vizag Steel Plant,” Lokesh said, adding that they will take steps to ensure that justice is rendered to the Steel Plant displaced. The TDP government will extend its support to make sure captive mines are allotted to the plant, which are necessary for its survival, he said.
Noting that VSP is the result of many sacrifices, Lokesh pointed out that it is the only Steel Plant located along the seashore. “Andhra’s self-respect is attached to this plant. Its privatisation will not be allowed at any cost,” he asserted. Further, he alleged that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was planning to “loot 8,000 acres of the Steel Plant land by joining hands with some local industrialists.”
During his interaction with the representatives of the Padmashali community, the TDP general secretary said Jagan had promised that the BCs (Backward Classes) would be the backbone of the government, but has totally deceived them.“At least 55 handloom workers have ended their lives under the YSRC rule. However, the Chief Minister did not even console the bereaved family members, leave alone paying any ex-gratia,” Lokesh claimed.
PK & Naidu to attend meet tomorrow
A public meeting will be held at Polipalli in Vizianagaram district on December 20. TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu & JSP chief Pawan Kalyan will be present