Jagan describes TDP chief as a 'jilted power lover'

Narasapuram (West Godavari): Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday dubbed the Leader of Opposition and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu a "jilted power lover "and alleged that he was 'threatening' people by saying that the 2024 election would be his last if not elected to power.

"Sometimes, we see some people climb a cell phone tower and threaten to jump off. Some others threaten to put their head under a train while there are those who threaten to consume pesticide. In the same order, comes this jilted power lover Chandrababu Naidu who keeps threatening the people of the state," the Chief Minister said, referring to the TDP chief's comments made last week during his road shows in Kurnool district.

"If I have to go (back) to the Assembly, if I have to stay in politics and if justice is to be done to Andhra Pradesh…unless you ensure our victory in the next election…that could well be my last election," Naidu had said in Kurnool district earlier. Addressing a public meeting after launching several developmental projects here on Monday, the Chief Minister referred to his predecessor's remarks and observed that despondency and desperation were glaring in Chandrababu's tone. "People of the state said, 'bye, bye to Babu' in 2019 and blessed us. In every subsequent election – be it a byelection or elections to local bodies – the TDP was routed, so much so that the YSRCP won the local bodies in Kuppam (Naidu's Assembly constituency) as well," Jagan Mohan Reddy said.

The YSRCP chief noted that Chandrababu was being haunted by the fear of losing his Kuppam seat as well in 2024. "This fear is reflected in Chandrababu's every word and deed. So, he now starts threatening people," he added.

The Chief Minister took a dig also at the TDP's latest campaign 'Idemi Kharma Ee Rashtraniki' (What is this ill-fate to the state), planned to be launched from December 1, against his governance.

"People felt 'idemi kharma ra Babu' (what's this ill-fate) over Chandrababu's rule and sent him packing in 2019 and said, bye, bye. So, Chandrababu is now sitting with his head in his hands lamenting 'idemi kharma ra Babu' at himself," the Chief Minister remarked.

In an obvious reference to Lokesh and Pawan Kalyan, he said, people who could not win an election are also talking tall. TDP has become Telugu Buthula Party while Jana Sena has become Rowdy Sena, he said. He appealed to people to take the benefits accrued to them, through his government, as the yardstick. "If you feel something good happened to you and your family, bless me (again) and stand with me," he said.