VIJAYAWADA: Demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a clear stand on granting Special Category Status to the State and on the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy questioned the PM’s change of heart towards TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and sought to know the basis on which the three parties had forged an alliance.
Speaking during his election campaign at Gajuwaka and Ichchapuram on Tuesday, the YSRC president reiterated his commitment to the development of North Andhra.
Hitting back at the Prime Minister for charging the YSRC government with corruption, Jagan recalled that it was Modi who had once described Naidu as the most corrupt politician and even accused him of using the Polavaram Project as an ATM.
Further, he sought to know the rationale behind the BJP joining hands with such a ‘corrupt politician’.
Asserting that it was because of his efforts that the Centre backtracked from privatising VSP, the Chief Minister questioned Naidu and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, “Is there an assurance from Modi that SCS will be granted to Andhra Pradesh or that VSP will not be privatised?”
CEO Meena clarifies on disbursal of aid
Asserting that the ECI never stops the implementation of schemes, CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena on Tuesday clarified that the poll panel only asked the government to defer some schemes till the completion of polling on May 13
Vote for TDP will mean allowing privatisation of VSP: Jagan
On Modi claiming that the State government had not allotted land for the Railway zone, Jagan maintained that it was the Centre who refused to accept the land offered for the project citing litigations.
Appealing to the people to send a strong message to Delhi by electing the YSRC candidate and showing their opposition to the privatisation of VSP, he said, “A vote for the TDP will only mean allowing the privatisation of VSP as they will cite their win as a referendum.”
Rebutting the charges of Opposition that development took a back seat in the State for the past five years, he asserted that Andhra Pradesh is on the path of progress with three industrial corridors, 10 industrial nodes, 17 new medical colleges, four sea ports, ten fishing harbours and six fish land centres coming up.
“Andhra Pradesh stood number one in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) for three successive years. MSMEs have received a big boost in the last 59 months. The State received investments worth Rs 1 lakh crore after we came to power as against Rs 32,000 crore during the TDP rule,” he said.
Reiterating that he will take oath as Chief Minister in Visakhapatnam, which will be established as the executive capital of Andhra Pradesh, Jagan highlighted the activities initiated by his government in the last five years to develop North Andhra.
At a public meeting at Rajanagaram earlier, he took a swipe at Naidu for ECI deferring the disbursal of input subsidy to ryots and Vidya Deevena aid with the help of Delhi (referring to the BJP-led NDA government). “For the past five years, the elderly have got pensions conveniently at home. Because of Naidu, they are now deprived of this facility. Naidu has landed himself in trouble by orchestrating such plots and a chief minister has to engage in legal battles,” he said.
Mocking Naidu for stitching the pact, he said, “Naidu tried hard to get his rusted bicycle (TDP poll symbol) repaired with the help of his adopted son (referring to Pawan). However, he was only ready to ride a pillion and hold a glass (JSP symbol). Later, Naidu sent his cycle to Delhi (BJP). They brought some mechanics and tried to repair the bicycle, but now there is no handle, no pedals, no seat, no wheels, no tube. They (BJP) asked how can they ride such a rusty cycle?”
