Sharing the dais after nearly a decade, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday, December 20, vowed to end the rule of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing a massive public meeting, the first since the two parties decided to forge an alliance for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled next year, the two leaders sounded a war cry against the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government.
Chandrababu Naidu described TDP's alliance with the Jana Sena as a historic necessity. Virtually sounding the poll bugle at Polipalli in Vizianagaram district, Naidu joined actor-politician Pawan Kalyan in a call to people to root out the YSRCP government.
The public meeting organised to mark the conclusion of the Yuva Galam padyatra of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), national General Secretary Nara Lokesh, was also addressed by popular actor and TDP MLA N Balakrishna.
Naidu said that in the upcoming 'Kurukshetra' war, the YSRCP would be completely wiped out of the political scene in the state. The former Chief Minister also claimed that the state has been pushed 30 years back due to the mistake of giving a single chance to Jagan Reddy.
Announcing that the TDP-Jana Sena alliance’s combined manifesto would soon be released, Naidu said that public meetings will also be organised at Tirupati and Amaravathi soon. “We have already decided to provide free bus travel for women, to pay Rs 3,000 per month each to unemployed youth and provide employment to 20 lakh youth,” he said.
Promising enactment of a legislation for the safety of the Backward Classes, Chandrababu Naidu further said the state should be rid of the YSRCP for the safety and security of women. He also alleged that the votes of the TDP and the Jana Sena supporters were being deleted.
Chandrababu Naidu said he will take the responsibility to provide jobs to the youth and take the state forward.“If you make a single sacrifice, we will make 100 sacrifices to take the state much ahead on the path of development,” he said.
The TDP chief said that while padyatras were undertaken by him and party founder and former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao in the past, for the first time a padyatra has come under attack. He also alleged that the YSRCP government created hurdles for Lokesh’s padyatra and sent Yuva Galam volunteers to jail.
Declaring that everything would be “paid back with interest”, the former chief minister said that people had come out openly during the Yuva Galam to show how furious they are.
Saying that North Andhra was “struggling under the clutches” of the YSRCP, Chandrababu Naidu said the port city of Visakhapatnam, which was once known as the economic capital, has now turned into “ganja capital”.
Pawan Kalyan, meanwhile, said that he had been pained to see Chandrababu Naidu in jail, adding that he did not extend support to Naidu with any expectation for himself. The actor-politician also exuded confidence that the TDP-Jana Sena alliance would come to power in 2024.
“We are bringing a change and we are sending Jagan home,” he said.
Referring to reports that Jagan Reddy is planning to drop 80 sitting MLAs, Pawan Kalyan remarked that it is Jagan Reddy, and not the MLAs, who needs to be removed. The Jana Sena leader also alleged that Jagan Reddy has no respect for democracy as those who speak out are abused and attacked. He further alleged that YSRCP started the tradition of insulting women.
Pawan Kalyan, whose party is part of the BJP-led NDA, said he hoped that the BJP would also join hands with the TDP-Jana Sena alliance to take on the YSRCP.
Nara Lokesh, on his part, declared that the battle had already begun and would continue until Jagan Mohan Reddy was removed from power. Nara Lokesh also said that this Yuva Galam's concluding meeting is only a beginning, and not an end. He further added that Jagan Reddy is scared of Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan.