Future of Andhra Pradesh depends on upcoming poll outcomes: Chandrababu Naidu

Amaravathi (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 14 : Observing that the 2024 elections to the State Assembly are a battle between five crore people of Andhra Pradesh and a dictator (Jagan Mohan Reddy), the former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday said that the future of the State depends on the outcome of these polls.
Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters, Chandrababu Naidu said that in the coming elections, it is not individuals or the parties that should win but the State should become victorious.
The TDP supremo felt that the fear of losing power is haunting the Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, and thus he is changing the sitting candidates from their respective segments.
Even if the YSRCP changes all the 150 sitting MLAs, the party is not going to win the coming polls as the people are ready to send Mr Jagan home, he remarked. There is no failed Chief Minister like Jagan in the history of the State, he said.
The cyclone Michaung caused heavy damage to the State, particularly to the farming community, he said, adding that standing crops on 22 lakh acres in 15 districts got damaged.
Despite knowing pretty well in advance the State Government adopted a negligent attitude, Chandrababu said and felt that had some preventive measures been taken the damage would have been controlled to a large extent.
Chandrababu said that the State generally experiences cyclone effect in November and December months while the Godavari floods begin much before and the water will be flown into Polavaram. After all the reservoirs are full in the upland area, the water will reach the Krishna river, he pointed out. After observing all this Pattiseema was constructed so that water can be supplied to the farmers so that they will not incur any loss before November, he said.
"This Chief Minister has turned such a useful Pattiseema for four years for the sole reason that I have completed the project," Chandrababu noted. He is forced to operate Pattiseema this year as people are mounting pressure on him but the damage is already done, he felt.
Be it projects or government properties maintenance is more important, but this Government is neglecting the projects and the classic example is that the Annamayya Project was washed away while the Government did not bother about it, Chandrababu said.
Expressing concern over the pathetic condition of farmers this year as they are hit with floods on one side and drought on the other, the TDP supremo said that this Government has failed in maintaining even the drains. This Chief Minister is neglecting both the irrigation and farming sector, he added.
Should the ruling dispensation not assess the damage caused by the cyclone and inform the public about it and also brief the Centre on the total damage, he asked. But this Government failed even in this and till now has not come out with the details on the compensation to be paid to the farmers, the former chief minister said.
Observing that he has written to the Centre to declare the cyclone as a national calamity and come to the rescue of the farmers as he has personally witnessed the damage caused to the crops, Chandrababu Naidu said that the Government is functioning most irresponsibly.
Chandrababu felt that crop insurance is very important for the farmers but the state government has not taken any steps towards this for the past four years and did not pay the instalments.
The tenant farmers are the worst-hit in this cyclone, he said adding that the TDP leaders and the cadre assessed the ground situation and submitted reports after talking to the local farmers. Pointing out that the TDP demanded the building of houses for those who lost their shelter in this cyclone, Chandrababu asked why this Government is not responding to such demands even from the public.
Regretting that the Chief Minister has destroyed all the systems, including roads, drainage, agriculture, irrigation and drinking water, Chandrababu said that the condition is so pathetic that proper food is not being supplied to the hostel inmates.
Chandrababu Naidu made it clear that the TDP will stand by the Anganwadis who are on an agitational path and felt that the more the efforts to suppress the agitation the more the agitations will get intensified.
"The coming government is a farmer's welfare government and immediately after coming to power, justice will be done to the farming community," he stated. Jagan has asked for a chance and the people have given him that chance which has become a curse on them and thus there is a total transformation among the people, he remarked.
"I have never seen such a Government which has faced such anti-incumbency and the people are eagerly waiting for the elections to get rid of this dispensation," he said. Andhra Pradesh is number one in unemployment and the educated youth is in total desperation, he said.
Chandrababu Naidu said that the fear of losing power is haunting the Chief Minister and that is the reason he has changed 11 sitting MLAs though till the other day he claimed why not 175. The majority of those who have been shifted are Backward Classes (BCs) and Dalits, he said and asked whether Jagan will shift from Pulivendula.
"I am sure even if he changes 150 sitting MLAs he is not going to win the polls again and the address of these YSRCP leaders will disappear once the election notification is out," he said.
Chandrababu Naidu said that the coming elections are going to create a history and it is going to be a war between five crore people and a dictator. The future of the State depends on these elections, the former chief minister said and appealed to the people to closely observe all these developments.
Recalling how cases are foisted against the TDP leader, BTech Ravi, and how false cases are being registered against the TDP and the Jana Sena leaders, Chandrababu Naidu said that he will select the right candidates after taking public opinion.
"The whole process will be held at Tadepalle and the candidates will be selected after studying their background," he said.
Several people are saying that if there is no change in the governemnt in coming polls they will never visit the State, Chandrababu Nadu said and made an appeal to the people to save the State from such damaging forces.