Former minister and TDP leader, Nara Lokesh, had said that the police stations in Andhra Pradesh have become his mother-in-law’s homes for him. He said that he had never visited a police station in the past, but now was made to stay in the police stations and even visit jails.

Lokesh visited the family of Patibandla Narendranath, the TDP activist from Chinaravuru village of Tenali, who died recently. The former minister recalled his association with Narendranath after the 2019 general elections and said that the young leader had been very active in the party.

The TDP general secretary also promised to stand by the bereaved family in the days to come. He told the party rank and file from the Tenali Assembly constituency to be active and be helpful to those who have been working for the party.

He blamed the state government for destroying the Anna Canteens in the state. He said that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was not helping the poor and was not letting the TDP help the poor. He wondered why Jagan Reddy was destroying Anna Canteens which were serving the poor with a meal a day.

He also criticised the chief minister for unleashing reign of terror in the state to scare the TDP leaders and activists. He said the government was framing false cases against the TDP workers and the leaders and asserted that those cases and the police stations will not scare the TDP workers.

“I have never been to any police station in the past. But, after Jagan Reddy became the chief minister, I am made to be in the police stations and even jails,” Lokesh said. He further added that he had lost the fear of being arrested or jailed. All that I am doing is fighting against this corrupt government, he added.

Former minister and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh on Wednesday alleged that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had made Nellore as the crime capital of the state. He said that Jagan Reddy had proposed only three capitals, but had converted the peaceful Nellore town into the fourth capital.

Lokesh visited Kavali town in Nellore district and consoled the family members of a Dalit youth, Karunakar, who committed suicide recently alleging that the ruling YSR Congress leaders were harassing him.

Lokesh said that atrocities against the Dalits and women have increased in the last three years. Jagan Reddy had no love for the Dalits and women though he makes tall claims. He listed the number of atrocities committed against the Dalits and women in the state in the last three years.

The TDP general secretary accused local minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy as the perpetrator of the crime. He said that the minister was encouraging crime against the Dalits in the distrct and the suicide of Karunakar in Kavali was a clear witness.

Lokesh alleged that the YSR Congress leaders Kethireddy Jagadeeswar Reddy and Suresh Reddy have prevented Karunakar from fishing in the local tank. He said that Karunakar had taken the tank on lease for fishing but was prevented by the YSR Congress leaders, forcing him to commit suicide.

He alleged that both Jagadeeswar Reddy and Suresh Reddy were the associates of local MLA Ramireddy Pratap Kumar Reddy.

Lokesh demanded that the police book cases against these YSR Congress leaders and arrest them for abetting the suicide of Dalit youth Karunakar.

Lokesh also warned the state police against dancing to the tunes of the ruling YSR Congress leaders. He said that people would teach a fitting lesson to the YSR Congress in the next elections. Subsequently, the TDP would take the erring police officers to task in the next government, Lokesh said.

Former minister and TDP national general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Tuesday said that the TDP national president, Chandrababu Naidu, has foreseen this pathetic condition of the State before the last election itself if the YSRCP comes to power.

Lokesh, who is in Chittoor to visit those TDP activists who are in the district jail, spoke to media persons after having mulakat with them. He said that Chandrababu Naidu has foreseen the condition of the State if a factionist becomes the Chief Minister is coming into reality now.

“We are now witnessing the dangerous condition that the State is passing through,” the TDP general secretary said. The Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy’s, grandfather, Raja Reddy’ Constitution is in force in Andhra Pradesh but not the statute penned by Dr BR Ambedkar, Lokesh commented.

Several senior TDP leaders, including some former ministers, have been arrested in the past three years, he said and mentioned the names of J C Prabhakar Reddy, Narayana and Chintamaneni Prabhakar. False cases have been foisted against 5,000 TDP activists, he added.

“We are not scared of such false cases as fear is not in our dictionary. You can file any number of cases against us,” Lokesh maintained. He made an appeal to the State police to implement the Indian Penal Code (IPC) but did not resort to follow the Jagan Penal Code (JPC).

Because of some elements in the State police, the entire force is getting discredited, he commented. Stating that the TDP is soon coming back to power in the State, he warned such elements of serious action when the party is in place.

Lokesh said that after Jagan Mohan Reddy became the Chief Minister over 2,000 Anna Canteens, which were opened by the then TDP government to provide food to the needy, were shut down. How the people can expect Jagan Mohan Reddy, who does not take care of his own mother and sister, to provide food to them, he maintained.

Though the TDP has again thought of reopening these Anna Canteens, the ruling YSRCP is creating hurdles everywhere, the TDP general secretary said. Even at Mangalagiri too, he said when he restarted the Anna Canteen, the local police arrested 60 innocent persons, he added.

Even during YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s six-year rule Kuppam never witnessed such violent incidents, he said and demanded immediate measures to bring normalcy not only in Kuppam but also in the whole State.

The Srikakulam district police have prevented former minister and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh from visiting his party leader local councillor Guriti Suryanarayana on Sunday. Lokesh had planned a big rally in the area to meet Suryanarayana.

The police stopped Lokesh convoy stating that there was a law and order problem and requested him to go back. As he refused, the police physically lifted him and put him in his vehicle even as Lokesh and the TDP leaders were protesting.

Later, Lokesh stopped at Visakhapantam and was addressing a press conference condemning the police highhandedness in Palasa. Here too, the police reached the press conference venue and asked Lokesh to cancel it as it was not scheduled and there was no prior permission. The police removed the microphones of the news TV channels and cleared the TDP leaders from the place.

The police served 151 notice and cleared him from the place. The TDP leaders blamed the police for preventing the farmer minister from visiting a place and addressing a press conference. Lokesh fired at the police stating that they have violated his right to visit any place in the state.

Later, the TDP leader alleged that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was losing his temper due to fear of losing the 2024 general elections. He alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy was in desperation and hence using the police to stop the TDP and its leaders.

The TDP general secretary said that both the police and the ruling YSR Congress party were violating the peoples’ rights due to fear of losing the next round of elections.

TDP national general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Thursday demanded that the State Government immediately initiate measures to resolve the problems being faced by energy assistants in the State.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, the TDP general secretary said that the energy assistants have brought the problems that they are facing in discharging their duties to his notice. “After studying their problems in depth, I understand that the issues are genuine and thus I am writing to you to initiate immediate steps to resolve them,” Lokesh said in the letter.

Pointing out that the secretariat system has been brought into existence after Jagan Mohan Reddy came to power, the TDP general secretary said that the 1.34 lakh vacancies in various wings have been filled of whom 7,329 are appointed as energy assistants.

To interact with the consumers at the grassroots level and to solve any kind of problem that comes to their notice is their primary responsibility and ensure that there is no disruption in power supply.

Instead of making use of their services in the secretariats, they are being treated as slaves following which they are being subjected to terrible mental harassment, Lokesh said and pointed out that these employees are working with no leaves and no holidays even for festivals.

They have been drawing a meagre monthly salary of Rs 13,500 for discharging most dangerous duties. Though employees working in 19 of the 20 wings in the secretariat system are declared probationers, these energy assistants have been left out, Lokesh said and demanded that they be upgraded into probationers with immediate effect on a par with other secretariat employees.

Their life is under constant threat as they are not given proper training in dealing with the electric problems, he said, adding that even the benefits given to the electricity department staff members are not extended to the energy assistants as they are being treated as secretariat employees. Thus, their genuine demands to declare probation and to treat them on a par with the electricity department staff members be immediately conceded, Lokesh asked. They should immediately be given benefits like medical and cycle allowance besides granting them earned leave, the TDP general secretary said.