TS minister calls Naidu, Ponnala ‘buffoons’

Emulates YSRCP chief’s speech in Assembly

Nalgonda: Education Minister G Jagadish Reddy on Monday described as ‘buffoons’ Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and TPCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah, while blaming the previous governments for the power crisis facing the State. He was emulating YSRCP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy who on Saturday called TDP members in the Assembly ‘buffoons’.

Speaking to the media, after meeting the participants of the 1969 Telangana agitation, along with his Cabinet colleague Naini Narasimha Reddy, the minister blamed the policies of the previous State governments for the power shortage crippling Telangana. Jagadish Reddy claimed that the TDP and Congress governments had failed to hold review meetings on the power situation. As a result, the power crisis deepened leading to a severe shortage now. Poor rainfall was also adding to the problem, he stated.

Narasimha Reddy said an inquiry into the misdeeds committed by the previous Congress government was already on. The culprits would be exposed and none spared, he warned. Irregularities in white ration cards and housing were proved, he added.

The minister appealed to farmers to understand the power situation in the State and urged them not to cause embarrassment to the government during their agitations seeking adequate power supply. He called upon the police not to ill-treat the agitating farmers.

Later, at an emergency review meeting on the power situation at the Collectorate, Jagadish Reddy pulled up officials for not paying enough attention to representations submitted by the agitating farmers. He advised them to ensure that there were no low-voltage problems as far as possible and to make sure that the power being purchased was properly distributed. He asked officials of various departments to prepare drought reports.