Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary Nara Lokesh on Wednesday dared Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for a debate on welfare schemes.
He said that the TDP is ready for a debate on welfare schemes implemented by its government between 2014 and 2019 and the schemes undertaken by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government during the last five years.
Nara Lokesh remarked that Jagan Mohan Reddy, is a master in crediting Rs 10 in the accounts of the poor in the name of welfare and looting Rs 100 from them in various ways. He mentioned that in the past five years Jagan increased the power tariff nine times and was resorting to withdrawing welfare schemes in the guise of hefty power bills.
"We are ready for an open debate on under whose regime more welfare has been done. Are you ready for the debate," Nara Lokesh asked during his interaction with the residents of Jupiter Apartments and nearby areas in China Kakaki in Mangalagiri Assembly segment as part of his ongoing election campaign.
Nara Lokesh, who is son of TDP president and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, said that Jagan Mohan Reddy is the only chief minister who has withdrawn 100 welfare schemes.
During the previous election campaign, Jagan Mohan Reddy has made umpteen promises to the people but after coming to power, he is moving behind the screens as he is scared of people questioning him, the TDP general secretary remarked.
Pointing out that the Videsi Vidya scheme implemented during the TDP regime for the poor students to go abroad for further studies has been cancelled by Jagan Mohan Reddy, he said that both the daughters of the chief minister are pursuing their higher studies abroad.
"Does Mr Jagan feel that the students for the middle and lower middle class should not pursue their higher studies abroad," Lokesh asked and said that in the name of Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena he stopped fee reimbursement.
Nara Lokesh promised to revive the fee reimbursement scheme and also hand over the certificates to over six lakh students by making a one-time settlement to all the educational institutions, which has been pending for long.
He alleged that those who are posting some comments on social media questioning Jagan Mohan Reddy on the promises that he has made are being subjected to harassment by registering false cases against them. He stated that the entire Telugu Society has been living under constant fear for the past five years.
The TDP general secretary said that if Chandrababu is back as the chief minister the state will certainly move forward on the progressive path but "if Jagan Mohan Reddy is back the attacks on SCs, STs and BCs will go up and will be reported daily".
Calling Jagan as a "destructive ruler", Lokesh said that he has totally "destroyed" Amaravati and Polavaram projects.
"One State one capital is our slogan and within 100 days of coming back to power, the Amaravathi works will be taken up again and all the dues to the farmers who have sacrificed their lands will also be cleared on a war footing basis," Nara Lokesh added.
Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections will be held simultaneously with the the Lok Sabha polls on May 13.
