The Yuva Galam padayatra of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary N. Lokesh concluded in the undivided Guntur district on August 19.
The walkathon in the district that had begun in Vinukonda Assembly constituency gave the much-needed morale booster to the party cadre.
During his padayatra, Mr. Lokesh had made several poll promises, besides lashing out at the ruling YSRCP legislators for their alleged corrupt practices.
Mr. Lokesh covered the Macherla, Gurazala, Sattenapalli, Pedakurapadu, Tadikonda, and Mangalagiri constituencies. He dedicated six days to Vinukonda constituency alone at the request of Palnadu district president G.V. Anjanaylu.
The TDP leader had to suspend his padayatra for a couple of days to attend to local courts, where he filed defamations suits against the YSRCP leaders for making allegations against him and failing to substantiate them.
Mr. Lokesh, however, did not cover the Guntur East, Guntur West, Prathipadu, and Ponnur constituencies.
It is said that party national president N. Chandrababu Naidu will visit them during his bus yatra.
Among Mr. Lokesh’s promises was the construction of the long-pending Varikapudisela Vagu (canal) irrigation project.
The YSRCP government had secured forest clearances for the project, and was planning to take up the project in phases due to its location in the Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve.
The project aims at lifting water from the canal to cater to the irrigation and drinking needs of the people of the Palnadu and Prakasam districts.
List of promises
Mr. Lokesh also assured people that the TDP, upon coming to power in 2024, would ensure safe drinking water through public taps, withdraw fabricated cases against Muslims, construct houses for the poor, including TIDCO houses, develop roads, provide affordable sand, generate employment, and check illegal mining.
He further said that Amaravati capital city would be developed as per the master plan within the first three years of assuming power.
Interestingly, YSRCP suspended MLA Undavalli Sridevi from Tadikonda Assembly constituency participated in Mr. Lokesh’s interaction with with the Amaravati farmers.
Responding to the allegations levelled by Mr. Lokesh, the ruling party leaders challenged him to substantiate his claims, and dared him to come for a debate on the developmental and welfare activities between the TDP and YSRCP administrations.
Mr. Anjanaylu expressed the confidence that the TDP would win the general elections given the overwhelming response to the padayatra from women, SCs, STs, BCs, minorities, and various other sections of people.
