JSP president Pawan Kalyan has asked YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to first fulfil his constitutional obligation of raising people’s problems in the Assembly before commenting against others.
“Instead of making personal comments against me, which does not affect me in any way, let Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy ask his MLAs to attend the Assembly and raise the issues that impact the people they represent,” Mr. Pawan Kalyan said at a press conference here on Thursday.
He was reacting to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s remark that the JSP was not being considered as a political party.
“How does the YSRCP or its president view the JSP is of no consequence to me as it is legally registered political party. Let him bother about the people’s problems, which is their mandate,” the JSP president said.
“Staying away from the House without debating on burning issues such as drought in the Rayalaseema region does not serve any purpose,” he observed.
“If Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy has the conviction to serve people, he should first attend the Assembly sessions even if all his MLAs switch their loyalites,” he said.
‘JSP against defections’
Denouncing the defection of the YSRCP MLAs to the TDP, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said the JSP would not encourage such acts.
In this context, he said that Ravela Kishore Babu joined the JSP only after resigning from the Assembly and primary membership of the TDP.
On the constituency he would contest in the 2019 elections, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said he would decided it by January-end or February.
A documentary on the drought conditions, farmers’ problems, unemployment and lack of equitable distribution of irrigation water was screened at the press conference.
“Faction feuds in Anantapur have been one of the key reasons for the backwardness of the district,” Mr. Pawan Kalyan observed.
Rain gun project
Referring to his visit to the agriculture land of Shivanna at Gunduvaripally, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had launched the rain gun project with much fanfare, but not a single rain gun was visible at the place.
“It is unfortunate that prior to my visit, Shivanna has been taken away from the village by those who do not want me to meet the farmer,” Mr. Pawan Kalyan said.
Party leader Nadendla Manohar spoke about the importance of making a study on ways of mitigating drought.
‘Reopen spinning mill’
Addressing a public meeting at Guntakal, Mr. Pawan Kalyan challenged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to get the A.P. Cooperative Spinning Mills reopened and implement the High Court order of paying ₹5 crore dues to its workers.
He asked Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy to mount pressure on the government on the issue.
Spinning Mills Workers’ Union president Narayana Reddy presented a memorandum to Mr. Pawan Kalyan on the occasion.