The toddy workers at Vajralapalli camp site in Puthalapattu Assembly segment complained to TDP general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Saturday that the Jagan Mohan Reddy Government is not extending any kind of assistance to them. Lokesh is at the Vajralapalli campsite as part of his ongoing pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’.

They told Lokesh that to market illicit liquor, the toddy-tappers are being harassed by the State Government. The toddy-tappers demanded that 25 per cent of the liquor shops be allotted to them and said that Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, who promised pension for all BC women who completed the age of 45 years has literally cheated them, they told Mr Lokesh.

The local Vaddera community members demanded that they be enlisted into the ST category as the community has over two lakh population in the combined Chittoor district. They said with the increasing use of machinery they lost employment and are migrating to other States in search of jobs. The Vaddera community demanded that a certain percentage in quarries be allocated exclusively for them.

The local Viswa Brahmin community too narrated their cup of woes to Lokesh. They said that due to the use of machinery these days they totally lost employment and that the State Government should come to the rescue of the goldsmiths. The Mudiraj wanted Mr Lokesh to take up the issue of changing them from BC-D category to BC-A.

The State Government is not even issuing community certificates to Padmasalis, they said. Rajakas too are very backward, and the State government is not allotting dhobi ghats to them and not extending any financial assistance to the community, they told Lokesh. Kurubas and Yadavas too complained to Mr Lokesh that they are being ignored by this Government as there is no financial assistance for them.

Responding to the problems narrated by these communities, Lokesh said that the BC felt real independence only during the TDP regime as maximum possible funds were allocated for the community by the then government. “I do make false promises like Mr Jagan and not even a single BC member received loans after the YSRCP came to power though 56 corporations for various communities have been set up,” Lokesh remarked.

Women in the State got economic independence only with the initiative taken by the TDP during its regime, said its general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Friday.

During his ongoing pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’, Lokesh on Friday interacted with women at Seshapuram in Puthalapattu Assembly segment. Despite deficit in the budget in 2014, the then TDP government allocated Rs 20 cr for Pasupu Kumkuma scheme keeping in view the welfare of women, he said.

But, Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, who promised pension for women belonging to the SCs, STs and Minorities communities who completed 45 years of age deceived them by not keeping his promise, Lokesh pointed out.

“The Centre on the floor of Parliament admitted that 52,587 women in Andhra Pradesh were victims of various kinds of atrocities and 900 women died due to different kinds of harassment,” Lokesh pointed out. At least one accused in these cases is sentenced to life imprisonment under the provisions of the Disa Act or subjected to any serious punishment, he asked.

Jagan who promised total prohibition in the State is now encouraging illicit liquor sale, which is resulting in loss of several lives, he remarked and said that the illicit liquor is being manufactured in the distilleries owned by benamis of Jagan. The difference in the diesel prices between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka is Rs 12, he added.

The future of the citizens of AP, particularly the younger generation will be bright only if Chandrababu Naidu becomes the chief minister again, he said. The State government starts shivering on hearing the very name of ‘Yuva Galam’, Lokesh said and felt that the entire police system almost surrendered to the ruling party.

The TDP leaders of Rompicherla met Lokesh and complained to him that the local police officials are threatening them with dire consequences if they move with the TDP leaders. They said that the atrocities of local YSRCP leaders in Punganur reached their peak and the police are acting in a totally biased manner.

Stating that the local YSRCP leaders attacked them with beer bottles on January 7 resulting in serious injuries to many TDP activists, the party leaders said that even the banners are being damaged every time. Illegal cases are being foisted against the TDP activists, they told Lokesh.

Responding to them, Lokesh said that he will stand by them, and they can always take his support for granted. He made it clear that getting scared is not in the bio data of the TDP and said that in the coming polls the TDP flag will be hoisted in Punganur. Once the TDP is back in power, all these illegal cases will be lifted, Lokesh said.

The TDP, while in power, never harassed any section of people and equal justice for all is the policy of the party, said its general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Thursday.

During his seventh day of his pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’, Lokesh met leaders of the Arya Vysya community at Emmaus Hospital camp site where he said that the TDP during its rule never harassed the community but Jagan Mohan Reddy after becoming the Chief Minister of the State the people of the Arya Vysya community are suffering a lot.

“The situation is so bad that many persons of the community are resorting to suicides as they are unable to bear the harassment by the local ruling party leaders,” Lokesh said with serious concern.

They are unable to continue their business interests and are unable to pay the ‘J’ tax being imposed on the community people, Mr Lokesh said, adding that the TDP while in power has given maximum priority for the community leaders, including giving room in the Cabinet and in the Rajya Sabha.

Even an Arya Vysya Corporation was formed for the welfare of the community and Rs 30 cr funds were allocated for the corporation, he pointed out.

Lokesh asked as to why the temple of Goddess Kanyaka Parameswari was damaged and why there is no representation from the Arya Vysya community in the Cabinet now. “A lone representative of the community in the Cabinet was removed from the post and no funds for the corporation,” he stated.

Lokesh assured the community leaders that the Arya Vysya Corporation will be revived soon after the TDP assumes charge again. Also, the community people will be encouraged to grow both economically and politically, he said.

In the presence of Lokesh several local leaders from Palamaner joined the TDP. Majority of them are youth and leaders from the Muslim community belonging to MC Palem and Rangapuram villages in the segment.

Former sarpanch of Morum, P Viswanatha Reddy, is among several local leaders who joined the TDP. Lokesh called upon them to work hard for strengthening the party base in the Palamaner Assembly segment.

Later, the pada yatra entered Palamaner town where thousands of party activists and the general public gave a rousing reception to Lokesh. They showered flowers on him and Lokesh sought the blessings of the elders in the town.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary Nara Lokesh left for Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday to launch his 4,000 km-long padyatra after paying tributes to party founder and grandfather N.T. Rama Rao in Hyderabad.

Lokesh took blessings of his father and TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, mother N. Bhuvaneswari and maternal uncle and father-in-law N. Balakrishna at his residence in Jubilee Hills here.

The TDP leader then left for NTR Ghat in a rally. He offered floral tributes at NTR Ghat on the banks of Hussain Sagar lake in the city.

Lokesh later left for Kadapa district, where he will offer prayers at Ameen Peer dargah. He will then leave for Tirupati to offer prayers at Tirumala temple on Thursday before proceeding to Kuppam in Chittoor district to launch the padyatra on January 27.

Titled ‘Yuvagalam’ (youth’s voice), the padyatra will cover 120 Assembly constituencies over the next 400 days across the state.

Chittoor district police on Tuesday granted permission for the padayatra with certain conditions.

Lokesh, son of TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, is scheduled to launch a 4,000 km long padayatra from Kuppam in Chittoor district on January 27.

District Superintendent of Police Y. Rishanth Reddy granted conditional permission for the march.

The permission came after days of uncertainty in view of the ban imposed early this month on conduct of meetings on roads.

The SP directed the organisers to abide by the timings fixed for the public meetings. He made it clear that the meetings should not be held on roads.

The organisers have been asked to ensure that the public and private property are not damaged. The police prohibited use of firecrackers during padyatra. TDP workers and participants have been directed not to carry any weapons. The SP directed the organisers to arrange first aid and ambulance at the venue of the meeting to attend to any health emergency.

TDP’s Andhra Pradesh unit president K. Atchannaidu has said that the conditions imposed for Lokesh’s padyatra reflect Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government’s sense of insecurity. He stated that the TDP leader’s padyatra will be a death knell for YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) rule.

He alleged that the government is trying to create hurdles for the padyatra.