The Jagan Mohan Reddy government is harassing auto drivers too by fixing targets to the traffic police, observed TDP general secretary, Nara Lokesh, at Tirupati on Friday.

During the ongoing pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’, Lokesh had an interaction with the local auto drivers at the campsite near Ankura Hospital. All the auto drivers complained to Lokesh that their names have been deleted from even the Vahana Mitra scheme benefits since the power bill is more than the fixed limit.

Stating that fines are being imposed on them even for silly reasons and the auto drivers are being subjected to various kinds of harassment. Women auto drivers said that they do not have a seperate auto stand in Tirupati.

Responding to their problems, Lokesh said that since targets are fixed for the traffic police, they are resorting to imposing fines on auto drivers even if they do not violate the traffic rules. Chandrababu Naidu, when he was the chief minister, never fixed such targets to traffic police, he explained.

Lokesh promised them that motor vehicle insurance and other benefits will be extended to them once the TDP forms the government again. Also, electric autos will be supplied to the drivers on subsidy, he said, adding that he will personally take this responsibility.

Lokesh handed over the papers of an auto to one Hamid Pasha, whose auto was seized by the police under the directions from the Minister, Roja. Lokesh gave a new auto to him as a gift.

In the evening, the TDP national general secretary interacted with the youth as part of ‘Hello Lokesh’ programme at the campsite. Earlier he had selfies with several people who wanted to have a photo with him.

Making it clear that the Constitution has given him the right to interact with people, TDP general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Thursday told the local police officials that they have no authority to cause any kind of obstruction to him.

The police pulled his stool standing on which he was addressing the local public at Neelisani Peta as part of his ongoing pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’ on Thursday. The police even told Lokesh that as per the provisions of the GO number 1, issued recently, he should not speak to the public.

‘When the police tried to create obstructions to his interaction with locals at Gajula Mandyam village, an angry Lokesh said that ‘I am not using any mike to interact with the local public. As per the provisions of the Constitution I have every right to speak with the people and you have no authority to stop me,” he told the police officials present there.

The TDP national general secretary told the people that almost all sections, including women, youth and the farmers, are facing some problem or the other and the only solution to solve these problems is that Chandrababu Naidu should become the chief minister again.

”I am here to have first hand information on the issues that you are facing but the police are not allowing me to talk to you,” Lokesh said.

Pointing out that many leaders, including Jagan Mohan Reddy, his sister, Sharmila, and their father, Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, undertook pada yatra when Chandrababu Naidu was the chief minister, Lokesh said that they did not face even a single issue during their pada yatras. ”Now, when I address the people even at a remote village, the Tadepalli palace is shivering,” he remarked.

”I will certainly remind Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, about the promises that he made to the people during his pada yatra and which he failed to fulfill. I will also thoroughly expose his misdeeds,” Lokesh said.

Former chief minister, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, comes from a farmer’s family and thus he has a thorough knowledge about the problems being faced by the farming community, said TDP general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Wednesday.

The local farmers at Krishnapuram in Chittoor Assembly segment met Mr Lokesh during his pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’. The TDP general secretary said, ‘My grandfather, who encouraged my father in academic and other sectors and thus he has complete knowledge on all issues and he always thinks about the welfare of the farming community.”

Recalling that Chandrababu, as the chief minister, was holding repeated review meetings with then minister for Agriculture, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, he felt that agriculture is now remunerative now.

Chandrababu encourage agriculture and allied sectors on a massive scale but now Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, who came to power by making several promises to the farmers, did not fulfil even a single one.

“On the other hand, the Chief Minister is harassing the farmers by installing meters to motor pump-sets following which the farming sector is in deep crisis now,” Lokesh observed. Why the ongoing works of the Handri-Neeva project are not being taken up, he asked and said that the sugarcane farmers are facing a lot of difficulties now.

Farmers never resorted to suicide due to harassment by the government during the Chandrababu regime, Lokesh said and pointed out that Andhra Pradesh is now in the third position in farmers suicides.

“I am assuring you all that whenever the TDP government is formed again all your problems will be resolved on a war-footing basis,” Lokesh told the farmers.

Cold-storage plants will be set up and crop insurance will be revived and the Annadatha Sukhibhava scheme that is withdrawn now too will be reintroduced, Lokesh said. “The basic problem now is that neither the Chief minister nor the Minister for Agriculture has any knowledge about agriculture” he remarked.

” Minister for Agriculture, Kakani Goverdhan Reddy, is summoned by the CBI and he is now in a hurry to appear before this Central agency. Thus, he is unable to focus on the problems of farmers,” Lokesh stated.

The farming is in crisis now as the Government, which is supposed to take the responsibility from providing input subsidy to MSP, has totally forgotten its responsibility,” he remarked.

The TDP will certainly abide by the promises it makes to any section, including farmers, he said and called upon the farming community not to walk into the trap of the Chief Minister again. “The thief again will approach you but do not walk into his trap,” Lokesh said.

TDP general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Tuesday expressed confidence that the party will certainly come back to power in the State as the people are fed up with the style of functioning of Chief Minister, JaganMohan Reddy.

Addressing a public meeting as part of his ongoing pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’, Lokesh said that Jagan Reddy lost the people’s confidence, and the countdown has begun for the YSRCP Government. Once the TDP government is formed again the problems of all sections will be resolved on a war footing basis, he said.

“Jagan is unable to move among the people while the TDP leaders are moving among the public freely as we have their support,” Lokesh said, adding that with the blessings of the people the Yuva Galam is a success. He asked as to why Jagan is afraid of the TDP and why attempt to murder cases were registered against students just because they supported the TDP.

Lokesh said that soon after the TDP comes back to power judicial inquiry will be ordered against the officials who filed cases against the TDP activists violating the norms. “I will see to it that Jagan will not come out of his house after 2024,” Lokesh said.

Observing that Chandrababu Naidu as the chief minister of the State strived hard for the welfare of the people, TDP general secretary said that Chandrbabu provided over six jobs to the youth by inviting investors to set up their units in the State. Lokesh termed Chandrababu as a brand who introduced decentralisation to the State.

Jagan cheated the youth by not fulfilling his promise of releasing the job calendar every year, he said and added that he mortgaged the Special Category Status to the Centre to escape from his cases. Even the promise made to the SC, ST women to provide pension to them has not been fulfilled, Lokesh remarked.

Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, and his government do not have faith in the judicial system, felt TDP general secretary and former minister, Nara Lokesh, on Monday.

Several young advocates from Chittoor walked along with Lokesh during his pada yatra ‘Yuva Galam’ on Monday and wanted Lokesh to initiate steps for setting up a law academy at Chittoor once the TDP comes back into power. This will be of great help for the young advocates for sharpening their professional skills, they informed Lokesh.

They also wanted free medical assistance for the families of the advocates who are struggling to earn their livelihood. The advocates also wanted house-sites to be allotted to them at the government rates and Rs 5,000 per month be paid as honorarium be paid for young advocates by appointing them as government pleaders.

The advocates wanted the Rs 40.32 cr funds allotted to Chittoor court complex be released immediately and the construction also should be completed soon.

Lokesh felt that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government is adopting a vengeful attitude towards the judicial system and even the judges are not given proper respect. Some comments on judges are being posted on social media by YSRCP senior leaders and are facing CBI inquiry on this, he said.

Lokesh demanded that the Rs 100 cr allocated for the welfare of the advocates be released immediately and promised to complete the construction of the Chittoor court complex soon after the TDP is in power again. He assured the advocates that all the necessary welfare measures will also be taken.

Jagan miserably failed to implement the total prohibition that he promised, Lokesh said and asked how many cases will be filed against him by the time he completes his pada yatra.

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.