MEDARAMETLA (BAPATLA): Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy described the poll alliance between the TDP, JSP and BJP as a front to fight in support of the feudalists against the party that represents the poor and the downtrodden.
Addressing the last Siddham meeting held at Medaramettla in Addanki Assembly constituency of Bapatla district on Sunday, Jagan told the people that the same alliance had made tall promises in 2014, but kept none. He added, “The three parties have joined hands once again to cheat the people.”
Stating that the election notification is likely to be issued in another four days, Jagan called on the party cadre and supporters to “gear up for the poll battle and secure another historic victory”.
According to the party, around 1.5 million cadre and supporters attended the programme. Announcing that the YSRC’s manifesto will be released soon, the party president asserted that he will make promises that he can keep. “Once I give my word, it is set in stone,” he said.
Mocking the tripartite alliance, Jagan said, “Chandrababu Naidu and another national party are ready to attack the poor. The alliance consists of parties that have bifurcated Andhra Pradesh in an unjust manner and parties that got fewer votes than NOTA.” Asserting that he does not need alliances, but only the blessings of people, the Chief Minister said, “The TDP, JSP and BJP only have commanders, but no soldiers, hence the need for the pacts.” Further, he reiterated that the ensuing elections are a war between credibility and deceit.
“I am fighting for people’s victory alone, while they are fighting to defeat me,” he said. In a dig at the Opposition leader, Jagan quipped, “Unable to pedal his cycle (TDP pol symbol) alone, Naidu along with his foster son Pawan Kalyan went to Delhi and had to wait for days to seal an alliance.”
Further, he questioned Naidu why he was desperate to forge an alliance if he thinks that the YSRC government has not fulfilled any promises.
Criticising JSP chief Pawan Kalyan for becoming Naidu’s ‘yes man’, Jagan said, “He never asks for the driver’s seat. He never fights for more seats for his party. Pawan is even ready to sacrifice his party symbol (glass) to Naidu and is ready to get off Naidu’s cycle whenever he feels like.”
Ridiculing Naidu’s Super Six schemes, he recounted that it was the TDP that had found fault with the YSRC government for implementing various welfare schemes and claimed that the State was on the verge of witnessing an economic crisis like Sri Lanka. “The Super Six promises exceed the State budget by Rs 73,400 crore. This excludes Naidu’s latest promise to provide Rs 4,000 as pension to BCs,” Jagan pointed out.
Emphasising that the YSRC has fulfilled 99% of the assurances made in the manifesto, the Chief Minister said his government has spent a total of Rs 3.75 lakh under various DBT and non-DBT schemes in the last 58 months for uplift of the poor, empowerment of women, students, and people from different social classes. “I promised in 2019 that good days are coming with Jagan Anna. I’ve fulfilled that promise. Now, I am promising that good days will continue even after 2024,” he said while asking his party men to visit every household and exhort people to re-elect the YSRC to ensure that the welfare schemes continue.
Likening the ensuing elections to the Kurukshetra war, he compared himself to Arjuna and his supporters to Krishna. “It is time to take out your most potent Astra -- your vote -- and use it to defeat the forces obstructing the development of poor and downtrodden,” he told the public.
“If Naidu is voted to power, these schemes and volunteer system will all vanish,” he said while reiterating the target to win all 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats. Jagan said he has never aspired for power, nor fears losing it. “All I aspire is to serve people, be part of history as good leader and in the hearts of people,” he added.
