Simultaneous elections to the Assembly and Lok Sabha are likely to be held in April-May….reports Asian Lite News
It’s now “condom politics” in Andhra Pradesh ahead of simultaneous polls to state Assembly and Lok Sabha. Videos of condom packets with the names and symbols of ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have surfaced on social media, triggering a war of words between the two parties.
The two parties blamed each other for a new low into politics.
Videos show condom packets with names and symbols of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP being distributed allegedly by party cadres to voters.
“Distributing condoms to people for their party campaign. What kind of publicity madness is this? Will they start giving out Viagra next? Will they stop there or going forward stoop to another low”, reads a post from YSRCP handle on X while reacting to the video posted from a handle ‘Deccan 24×7’.
Hitting back at the ruling party, the TDP shared a picture of a condom pack with the YSRCP symbol. “Is this the ‘siddam’ (preparedness) the party was talking about?” the opposition party commented referring to title of Jagan Mohan Reddy’s political campaigns.
Simultaneous elections to the Assembly and Lok Sabha are likely to be held in April-May. The TDP has entered into an alliance with the Jana Sena of actor Pawan Kalyan to take on the YSRCP.
TDP to decide soon on BJP alliance
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will soon take a decision on alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), TDP’s Andhra Pradesh unit President K. Atchen Naidu said on Thursday.
He revealed that his party was invited to join the BJP-led NDA and that TDP leadership is holding talks with the BJP.
Atchen Naidu said that there will be clarity soon on the alliance with the BJP.
Talking to media persons after the meeting of the TDP-Jana Sena coordination committee, he said that both the parties were working on a joint manifesto and this would be released soon.
On the seat adjustment between the two parties, he said the decision would be taken by TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan.
He mentioned that both the party chiefs have told their leaders that some sacrifices have to be made for alliance and those who could not get the tickets should not get upset.
He said the meeting passed a resolution congratulating the cadres of both the parties over the alliance.
Through another resolution, it condemned the attacks on the media.
Atchen Naidu alleged that unable to digest the coming together of the TDP and the Jana Sena, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is resorting to false propaganda to create rift between them. He called upon the leaders and the activists of both the TDP and the Jana Sena to effectively counter this misinformation campaign.
Leaders and the cadre of both the parties should realise the fact that they have joined hands only in the interest of the State and for the welfare of the people, he observed.
He also said both the parties will organise a massive joint public meeting at Tadepalligudem on February 28 and called upon the activists of both the TDP and the Jana Sena to attend the meeting on a large scale to send a strong warning to Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The sole aim of both the parties is that Jagan Mohan Reddy should not come back to power in the interest of the five crore people of the state, he said.
As the electoral battle will soon begin in the state, both Naidu and Pawan Kalyan have decided to send a strong message.
“Various subjects have come up for discussion during the coordination committee meeting where all the leaders are unanimous in their opinion that it is for the first time in the history that they have seen such an unperforming and useless Chief Minister. From day one, this Chief Minister has been acting as a psycho destroying all the systems in the state,” Atchen Naidu said.
“Political leaders, media persons and the people could not move freely in this dictatorial regime and every section, including the SCs, STs, BCs and minorities, are falling victim to the robbery by the ruling party leaders,” he alleged.
He said that after observing “all such inhuman activities” of this government, the TDP and the Jana Sena have decided to join hands to put an end to this autocratic rule.
Besides the TDP and the Jana Sena activists, the victims of Jagan Mohan Reddy too should attend the meeting to raise their voice freely, Atchen Naidu said.
YS Sharmila Hits The Streets
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila Reddy, along with party workers and leaders, staged a protest against the state government at Andhra Ratna Bhavan as part of their ‘Chalo Secretariat’ protest.
Sharmila, along with party workers, held a sit-in protest with placards in their hands, demanding job opportunities for the unemployed youths in the state.
Meanwhile, a large number of police personnel were deployed at Andhra Ratna Bhavan to prevent any untoward incidents and several Congress leaders and workers were detained before the ‘Chalo Secretariat’ protest.
Minor scuffles between police and Congress workers also broke out as several Congress leaders were detained by police following their ‘Chalo Secretariat’ march.
APCC Working President Sheikh Mastan Vali was detained by Police as he started his march to the secretariat along with party cadre. AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Manickam Tagore criticised the heavy handed approach of the police.
“Appalled by the mistreatment of APCC Working President [?]Mastan Vali[?] Ex-MLA,& Congress workers by Jagan Police in Vijayawada. As they prepared to march against the unemployment crisis in AP, this heavy-handed approach is unacceptable. protest is a democratic right.” Tagore posted on X.
The protest has been aimed at demanding justice for unemployed youth and the student community in the state.
Addressing the protest YS Sharmila said “According to a study over 21,000 died by suicide due to unemployment. Instead of addressing this crisis the YSCRP government is undemocratically arresting Congress leaders and karyakartas who are agitating for justice.
Earlier, in a post on X, the newly elected Andhra Congress State President said, “Thousands of policemen were placed around us. Iron fences have been put up and we have been held hostage. If we stand on the side of the unemployed, they are arresting us. You are dictators who are trying to stop us. Your actions are proof of this. YCP Sarkar should apologize to the unemployed.”
A day before the protest YS Sharmila spent the night in the party office to evade arrest .(ANI)
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