Andhra Pradesh witnessed no development in last 20 months: Nara Lokesh

Ongole: TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh termed Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as a coward and alleged that the latter was trying to win the elections to urban local bodies by threatening the opposition candidates.

He said the YSRCP chief fears fielding his party's candidates in the polls as he failed to execute any development programmes during the last two years. "Hence, Jagan is trying to lure, threaten and attack Opposition TDP candidates only to make them leave the battleground," Lokesh said.

Taking part in campaign in various divisions of Ongole Municipal Corporation on Saturday evening, Lokesh said that local MLA and Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy failed to develop Ongole town in the last 20 months. He said the YSRCP failed to ensure regular drinking water supply, proper maintenance of drains, roads and prevent the growth of mosquitoes.

Lokesh said the government failed to finish the already 70 per cent competed TIDCO houses in Ongole and hand them over to the beneficiaries and alleged that the YSRCP leaders looted Rs 40 crore in Yerajarla in the name of laying out plots.

He said the government has been planning to close down the Ongole dairy, by encouraging the dairy farmers to supply milk to AMUL Dairy. He demanded that the government pay the pending dues to workers, who have been agitating in front of the dairy for the last 10 days.

Lokesh criticised the Chief Minister for acting against the principles of democracy and trying to make the local body polls unanimous fearing defeat in the elections.