Massive Public Response To YS Jagan’s Praja Sankalpa Yatra

Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

AP Leader of the Opposition and YSRCP chief, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is reaching out to the masses in a novel and interesting way. While undertaking his six-month long, arduous walkathon, Praja Sankalpa Yatra on the one hand, he has been disseminating his opinions on diverse issues constantly, under the title--Jagan Speaks. The ruling Telugu Desam Party seems to be rattled by the overwhelming response that his Padayatra has been generating everywhere.

The recent public meeting held by the YSRCP chief in Kadiri of Anantapur district in which a sea of humanity was present, took Andhra Pradesh by storm. The seething public resentment against Chandrababu Naidu was more than evident in this meeting, as was the fact that people cannot be suppressed for long. They can neither be bought over nor can they be put down by the use of police force. It is becoming apparent that people are getting increasingly vexed with the fountainhead of immoral politics--Chandrababu Naidu. Instead of being a senior model politician at the age of 68, Chandrababu is seen indulging in unethical political practices. Chandrababu's image is increasingly becoming one of a politician who spouts hundreds of lies and gives false assurances. This fact has been emerging in a crystal-clear manner with every passing moment in YS Jagan's padayatra as more and more people people have been coming forward narrating their woes under the Chandrababu regime .

Farmers and women from DWCRA self-help groups whose hopes of loan waivers were betrayed and youth whose aspirations of finding employment felt cheated, are among some of the segments of society who feel let down by Chandrababu Naidu. While the TDP government thinks people can be deluded by hype and publicity, along every step of the way, YS Jagan's padayatra reveals the widespread undercurrent of unhappiness of the people with the Chandrababu government.

The YSRCP chief has also endeared himself to the masses with the way he has been spelling out the underlying principles of the party's Navarathnalu, which cover all strata of society. He has been expressing his views through the medium of "Jagan Speaks". Of particular appeal has been his assurance of granting pensions to those over 45 years of age. In fact some of us wondered whether this was feasible, but after listening to the AP Leader of Opposition elaborate on this proposal, it became clear that it would do a world of good to the suffering poor and would infuse some hope into their lives.

YS Jagan arrived at this decision after seeing in Dharmavaram, on a first-hand basis, the suffering of the weavers who at a young age fall prey to sickness. Moreover, he clarified that this scheme would cover only the most backward sections of society, drawn from SC, ST, BC and minority communities. People have embraced this concept wholeheartedly, considering the fact that everyday life is an ordeal for most of them. Those who do not have an understanding of ground realities in the rural areas, may have their misgivings, but with his insight into the lives of common citizens amidst whom he has been spending all his time, YS Jagan came up with this novel scheme. The groundswell of support he has been receiving for this scheme, among other things, shows that it would prove to be a super hit with the masses.