Praja Sankalpa Yatra Kurnool Round-up: YS Jagan Gets Overwhelming Response

Y. Satyanarayana

On November 14, AP Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy set foot in Chagalamarri to a rousing reception. People rained flowers welcoming him and greeting him every step of the way.

The walkathon wound its way slowly through Pedda Kota Kandukuru, once a seat of great historical importance, now reduced to a picture of poverty. Farmers, women, unemployed youth and the disabled from the region met the YSRCP chief with their grievances. YS Jagan reassured all of them that he would take up their complaints with the authorities concerned.

Farmers complained that their crops yielded no returns—be it paddy, cotton, black gram, groundnut or coriander. They said their produce did not get the support price that was promised by the government.

The Praja Sankalpa Yatra then reached the Allagadda constituency in Kurnool, where a large number of Muslims met the YSRCP chief and poured out their woes. Farmers lamented the exploitation of their community by seed companies and the government's indifference to this issue, in stark contrast to the pro-farmer stance which was the hallmark of Dr YSR's reign.

After passing through Peddachintakonta where a large number of disabled youth met YS Jagan, the walkathon reached the Dornipadu constituency in Kurnool. En Route, YS Jagan passed through Bhagyanagaram, Ramachandrapuram and Kondapuram where the same story was repeated by the people of the region —water scarcity, apathy towards farmers, no loan waivers to DWCRA groups and lack of irrigation facilities.

Candidates who got selected after clearing the APPSC Group I examination apprised the YSRCP chief of their plight. They complained that although their selection had been completed in 2011, they had not been assigned any postings by the current government. The AP leader of the opposition assured them of justice. Farmers from the KC Canal area complained that there was no water to irrigate their crops. YS Jagan then entered the Banganapally constituency as he reached Kampamalla Metta. While addressing a mammoth crowd at Banganapally, YS Jagan lashed out at AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for making false promises and talking of development in 2022, 2029 and 2050 even as the state was regressing on all fronts. The YSRCP president addressed a women's conclave at Hussainpuram and said that the women of the state will teach Chandrababu a fitting lesson at the hustings.

The AP Leader of Opposition then entered the Dhone constituency and passing through Gorlagunta, he addressed a massive public meeting in Bethamcherla and crossed the 200-kilometer mark at Muddavaram. YS Jagan continued his walkathon reaching the Pattikonda constituency. He pointed out that Yemmiganuru which was once a celebrated centre for handlooms is now languising in neglect.

The YSRCP pointed out that his party's Navarathnalu were meant for the overall prosperity of the people of the state. It was sad to see Pattikonda which had a great place in history, having once been ruled by Asoka among others, now lacking in basic water facilities and without any health centers or government schools worth the name. He lent a patient ear to cotton farmers in Tuggali.

The bottomline is that no matter which nook and corner of Kurnool the YSRCP chief visited, the story remained the same. There were no water facilities, irrigation and power supply were inadequate, farmers suffered on all counts and incurred huge crop losses, women felt betrayed by DWCRA loans not being waived, students deprived of fee reimbursement, the unemployed continued to look for jobs which were not forthcoming and health facilities remained minimal or non existent everywhere.