Jagan betrayed people who gave him massive mandate: Nara Lokesh

Puttaparthi: TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh in his last leg of Yuva Galam in Puttaparthi on Sunday lashed out at Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for betraying the people who gave him a massive mandate.

During his padayatra at Ramaiahpeta, Lokesh had an interaction with women, auto-drivers and youth. The women in large numbers met him and brought to his attention problems confronting them and complained that the present government was paying a deaf ear to their woes. Women said that they were feeling insecure under the present government.

Lokesh said that atrocities against women were on the rise since 2019, after the YSRCP came to power. This was revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau. The present government thinks that Disha app is a big achievement while the uneducated do not know how to use the app.

Lokesh stated that the TDP contributed a lot for women development. The TDP made a woman as the Assembly Speaker in the past. It has passed a legislation creating equal property rights for women.

The TDP national general secretary later met Auto Drivers Union members who complained of government harassment by way of indiscriminate imposition of challans. They also complained that only 10 per cent of auto-rickshaw drivers were being covered under the Vahana Mithra scheme.

Responding to their complaints, Lokesh described the Jagan government as a tax regime which has been harassing all sections of people. "If the TDP bounces back to power in 2024 we will reverse all anti-people decisions of the present government," he assured.

Lokesh had an interaction with the youth mostly from the backward classes. Stating that injustice was done to the BC youth under the current regime, he assured that the TDP will take up welfare programmes to ensure their progress. Mining licenses will be cancelled and given to BC candidates. "The YSRCP which claims that BC population are the backbone of the party has betrayed them and exploited them," he criticised. The TDP he said is the real champion of the backward classes. The BC leaders demanded that Valmiki community be given ST status and also the revival of Gouda Corporation. Toddy-tappers should be given identity cards.

Lokesh concluded his padayatra in Puttaparthi constituency and entered into Penukonda constituency on Sunday evening. He was given a rousing reception in Penukonda by ex-MLA and district TDP president B K Parthasaradi, State TDP organising secretary Savithamma, ex-MP Nimmala Kistappa and other party activists.