JSP chief Pawan Kalyan postpones yatra, predicts 67 seats for YSRC in next elections

VIJAYAWADA: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan has postponed his scheduled yatra from Dasara, but maintained that the new dates of the yatra will be announced in due course. Addressing the Jana Sena legal cell meeting on Sunday, he predicted that the ruling YSRC will not get more than 67 seats in the ensuing Assembly elections.

In a no holds barred criticism of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Jana Sena chief said Jagan, who is cautious and prudent while dealing with property disputes with family members, was least bothered about protecting the assets of Andhra Pradesh in Telangana and handed them over to the government there for a simple breakfast.

Finding fault with the YSRC for misleading people with insincere announcements and promises, Pawan Kalyan said in 2014 on the floor of the Assembly, Jagan supported  Amaravati as the State capital and even constructed a house in the Amaravati region to show his ‘sincerity’.

“However, soon after coming to power, Jagan took up a new tune - three capital cities. If he had such plans, why Jagan misled the people of the State earlier with his support to Amaravati as the capital city?” he questioned.

The Jana Sena chief also alleged that Jagan backed away from his assurances given in the State Assembly. In the case of Sugali Preethi, who was allegedly violated and murdered in a private school, the promise to hand over the case to CBI was not kept. “At such times, I feel that I should have MLAs in the Assembly to fight for such causes,” the Jana Sena chief said.

Reiterating that his support to TDP in 2014 was to safeguard the interests of the State post bifurcation, he said the Jana Sena contested elections in 2019 to become a strong political party in the State. “We tasted defeat in the elections, which is quite normal in politics. I am not discouraged and will not go anywhere,” he averred. Pawan Kalyan accused the YSRC government of diverting funds meant for development programmes for other purposes.

He demanded to know what happened to Rs 450 crore Construction Workers Welfare Fund, Rs 400 crore of NTR Health University, Rs 2,000 crore of Abhaya Hastham scheme with LIC and Rs 1,100 crore of the State Disaster Management Authority. The Jana Sena chief emphasised the need for a strong legal cell to defend the party cadre, who are being falsely implicated in cases by police.