“Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s welfare schemes for the poor and the sea change in governance during the last one-and-a-half years have attracted me to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), and I extended support to it of my own free will,” Visakhapatnam (South) MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar has said.
“The State government has spent ₹59,000 crore on the implementation of various welfare schemes, in the last 15 months, as no where else in the country. The Chief Minister has set up firewalls to prevent corruption, thereby providing ease of administration. The Opposition has no work now except to obstruct the programmes of the government,” Mr. Ganesh Kumar told the media here on Wednesday.
“Any ruling party is meant for the poor. The rich can get their works done. When I was in the ruling Telugu Desam Party government in the past, I wanted to do many things but couldn’t. I did not search for the reasons, but now all those things are happening in the YSRCP government,” he said.
“I was getting instructions from the TDP leadership to organise protests against every programme of the YSRCP government. In the last 14 months as TDP Urban district president, I had acted against my conscience in organising agitations against the ruling party, on the directions of the TDP leadership. It would have been wrong on my part, if I had stayed there any longer.”
The MLA said that he could not wear the YSRCP scarf for ‘technical reasons.’ “I have admitted my two sons into YSRCP and will work as a ‘sympathiser.’ I am ready for any role entrusted to me by the YSRCP.” he said.
Replying to a query, he said: “I told the CM of my inability to keep the promises made to the people of Visakhapatnam (South) constituency and my failure to implement them due to lack of cooperation from the TDP leadership. Mr. Jagan assured me of extending all cooperation for their implementation.”
Replying to another query, he said that he was the first to welcome the decision of the State government to make Visakhapatnam as Executive capital of the State. It would foster development of North Andhra, which has remained backward for long. “I am born and brought up in Visakhapatnam and always support its development,” he added.