Jadoo Reddy rendered youths jobless, J Tax drove industries out of AP: Nara Lokesh

HYDERABAD: The YSRCP party leaders are scared of the TDP and feeling insecure ever since his Yuva Galam padayatra across Andhra Pradesh was announced, claimed TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh in Kuppam on Friday.

Addressing a public meeting marking the beginning of his epic footmarch, Lokesh remarked, "About 10 YSRCP ministers attacked me and wanted to know if I was entitled to take out this padayatra. I had served as the Minister of Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Information Technology (IT), and Communication in Andhra Pradesh for two and half years during the TDP regime. During that period, I worked hard for the state, constructing a 25-km cement concrete road that no other state in the country had built."

Nara Lokesh, who is aiming to walk 4,000 km over 400 days across the state, further said, “We have supplied drinking water by spending Rs 25,000-crore funds in every poor household. As an IT minister, I facilitated employment to 45,000 jobless youths and another 45,000 jobs in the electronics sector. And it is on this basis that I am undertaking this padayatra. But I want to challenge the YSRCP ministers for what they accomplished in the last four years or so for Andhra Pradesh.”

He alleged that Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy destroyed the state in just three years and eight months, something that no other chief minister of the undivided Andhra Pradesh could do in the last 67 years. All along his speech, Lokesh peppered his speech with nicknames, ‘Jadoo Reddy’ and ‘psycho ruler, to ridicule the Chief Minister.

He claimed that youngsters, farmers, women and children were all victims of the YSRCP government. “Anyone who speaks out or questions the AP administration is booked by the police and anyone who protests is imprisoned,” he commented.

“Many young people approached me and expressed their dissatisfaction with the state's current plight. That is why, I started the Yuva Galam Padayatra to protect our state and the future of our youngsters,” he added.

"Jaganmohan Reddy is similar to Jadoo Reddy. There is no Mysore in Mysore bonda and there are no jobs in the YS Jagan government's job notifications. They only released 36 positions, in Group-2 employment. Is the YSRCP government not ashamed for creating only 36 jobs?," he questioned.

Nara Lokesh claimed that YS Jagan, during his padayatra promised to create two lakh jobs in the state within a year. But, what happened to the two lakh jobs? He also promised to release an annual job calendar? But where is the employment calendar? Another promise he made was that he would recruit 6,500 police constables each year. He also promised mass DSE job requirements. But, I ask him today, where are these jobs? He simply cheated Andhra Pradesh's unemployed youth.”

The TDP general secretary also claimed that many industries and companies came to Andhra Pradesh and jobs were created during the TDP rule. “But due to the J (Jagan) tax, Jaganmohan Reddy drove these companies to relocate to neighbouring states. Carbon, Celkon, Reliance, Amara Raja, Lulu Mall and Kia Motors have all left Andhra Pradesh. TDP MP Jayadev Galla, who successfully handled the Amara Raja company in Andhra Pradesh since 2014 and created a lot of jobs, was compelled to relocate to the neighbouring state due to J tax".

Nara Lokesh also claimed that the TDP government created more than five lakh jobs in the state, unlike the present YSRCP government. "We will release a youth manifesto very soon that will include a tally of government and private jobs. Once we come to power, we will create and fill all vacant positions, as I promised everyone today", he added.