Balineni Srinivasa Reddy tells TDP to scout for new leadership

Ongole: Minister for Energy, Forests, Environment, Science and Technology Balineni Srinivasa Reddy advised the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) workers to find leaders like Junior NTR to fight in the next elections.

He addressed a press meet in Ongole on Monday to share his response over the sweeping win of YSRCP in the local body elections.

Balineni said that the credit of winning the ULBs goes only to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and no one else. He said that the public did not forget the benefits received from the various welfare schemes introduced by the YSRCP and they continued their support for its candidates. He said that the TDP, BJP and Jana Sena colluded together and tried to defeat the YSRCP, but the public showed them their worth by not awarding a single ULB in the State. He said that the opposition parties have lost most of their deposits in the rural and urban local body elections and thanked the public in the State and district for giving a thumping victory.

The minister said that the Ongole people have awarded almost double majority of votes when compared to the assembly elections with the municipal corporation elections. He said that it is an example of how the State government is providing welfare schemes and programmes to the public and won their support. He advised the TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu to stop trying to abuse the public and understand that the voters have already decided against their leadership. He opined that the Krishna and Guntur district people also have expressed their support to the three capitals idea of the Chief Minister, by voting for the YSRCP. He said that the people in the CRDA region also understood the game played by the TDP in the name of the Capital Amaravati.

He said that the TDP leaders may express doubts on the ballot system also now and asked them to shun baseless allegations and start cooperating with the government to keep the respect. He said that the TDP leaders themselves are complaining about the faulty decisions of Naidu and Lokesh. He said that there won't be any opposition in the State as the cadre of the TDP and other parties are expressing interest to join YSRCP. He advised the TDP workers to find out a new leader like Junior NTR to lead their party to save its future as the present leaders are proved to be incapable.

Srinivasa Reddy said that the rebel candidates won in Chirala would also represent the party and they have a total strength of 32 councillors there. He announced that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will take the decision on the mayor and deputy mayor candidates for Ongole and chairman and deputy chairman for Chirala and they would take the oath on March 18. He said that they sent the names of the shortlisted candidates to the Chief Minister and his decision will be final. He assured that the corporators and the new civic body will thrive for the development of the Ongole town and address the issues pending for a long time.