Vijayawada: Lokesh dares CM for debate on welfare schemes

Vijayawada : TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Wednesday dared Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for a debate on welfare schemes.

He said that the TDP is ready for a debate on welfare schemes implemented by its government between 2014 and 2019 and the schemes undertaken by the YSRCP government during the last five years.

Lokesh remarked that Jagan Mohan Reddy is a master in crediting Rs 10 in the accounts of the poor in the name of welfare and looting Rs 100 from them in various ways. He said that in the past five years Jagan increased the power tariff nine times and was resorting to withdrawing welfare schemes in the guise of hefty power bills.

“We are ready for an open debate on under whose regime more welfare has been done. Are you ready for the debate," Lokesh asked during his interaction with the residents of Jupiter Apartments and nearby areas in China Kakaki in Mangalagiri Assembly constituency as part of his ongoing election campaign.

He said that Jagan Mohan Reddy is the only chief minister who has withdrawn 100 welfare schemes.

During the previous election campaign, Jagan Mohan Reddy had made umpteen promises to the people but after coming to power, he is moving behind the screens as he is scared of people questioning him, the TDP leader said.

Lokesh promised to revive the fee reimbursement scheme and also hand over the certificates to over six lakh students by making a one-time settlement to all the educational institutions, which has been pending for long.

He alleged that those who are posting some comments on social media questioning Jagan Mohan Reddy on the promises that he had made are being subjected to harassment by registering false cases against them. He stated that the entire Telugu society has been living under constant fear for the past five years.

Lokesh said if Chandrababu is back as the chief minister the state will certainly move forward on the progressive path but “if Jagan Mohan Reddy is back, the attacks on SCs, STs and BCs will go up and will be reported daily”.