The TDP-Jana Sena combine on Saturday announced candidates for 99 of the total of 175 Assembly segments in the State.
Both the TDP president, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, and Jana Sena chief, Pawan Kalyan, together announced the candidates at Mangalagiri. Later, talking to media persons Chandrababu Naidu said that social justice is given the highest priority in the selection of candidates. Besides providing a better opportunity for women, those who are amidst the people are given a chance to boldly face the elections, he added.
While the TDP announced its candidates for 94 seats in the first list, the Jana Sena declared the candidature of five of the total of 24 seats that the party is going to contest in the alliance. The list of the TDP candidates was released by Chandrababu Naidu and the Jana Sena list was announced by Pawan Kalyan after which they both addressed the media.
“Keeping the interests of the State, both the TDP and the Jana Sena have come together to jointly contest the upcoming elections. The alliance is not in the interest of the parties nor in personal interest but for the progress of the five crore people of the State,” Chandrababu Naidu said. Terming it as a historic occasion, he said that the State has suffered a lot with bifurcation while the loss is more for the State after Jagan has become the Chief Minister.
This is not a personal loss either for him or for Pawan Kalyan but for the five crore people of the State as the Andhra Pradesh brand was hit hard by this YSRCP Government, Chandrababu Naidu remarked. The prevailing situation in the State is so pathetic that a person can not come out openly to express the injustice done for him or her, he said.
Everyone is a victim of this Government including himself and his party cadre besides Pawan Kalyan, Chandrababu Naidu said. “When Pawan Kalyan visited Ippatam, several hurdles were created for his road-show in Visakhapatnam” he said. Calling upon the TDP and the Jana Sena activists at the grassroot-level to work in close coordination, Chandrababu announced that he and Pawan Kalyan will work for the better future of the State and to rid Andhra Pradesh from the clutches of Jagan.
Appreciating Pawan Kalyan for announcing popular and known candidates, he said that the TDP candidates too are very capable. “Perhaps for the first time in my political life I have done so much exercise to select these candidates to collect the opinion of 1.3 crore people besides the views of the party activists,” Chandrababu Naidu said. The selection of candidates is done after conducting study and analysing all angles, he said, adding that only those who are actively moving among the public are selected now to face the elections boldly.
Of the 94 TDP candidates, 23 are first-timers and an opportunity has been provided for IAS officers, doctors and graduates those who are answerable to the people while the YSRCP is fielding smugglers of red-sandals, rowdies and goondas, Mr Chandrababu said. The TDP supremo is of the strong opinion that the YSRCP is facing strong anti-incumbency and they are facing stiff opposition from the people.
Though attacks are being made against the media persons, they are in such a poor condition that they could not even resist such attacks as they lost self-confidence, Chandrababu Naidu regretted. This Government has totally demolished all the four pillars, the judiciary, legislature, executive and the media, and not even a single IAS or IPS officer could come out openly, he said.
While the media is being controlled through a GO, the judiciary is being misused to take revenge by spending public funds, he said and pointed out that crores of rupees is being paid as fee for advocates. Chandrababu Naiu felt that the upcoming polls are very crucial for the State and for the people and called upon the voters to elect the TDP-Jana Sena candidates beyond any considerations.
“The day the alliance was announced we virtually won the polls and the YSRCP got totally wiped out from the State’spolitical scene. But the YSRCP leaders are making every effort to win through bogus votes and by spending huge amounts of money,” the TDP supremo said and added that power is not permanent for any one particular person in democracy.
“Instead of taking more seats only to experiment, we felt it is better to take a limited number of seats in the alliance to safeguard the interest of the State. Our sole aim is to bring the State back on track but not the interest of the party or personal interests,” Pawan Kalyan said. Maintaining that the Jana Sena has taken the decision with the sole responsibility to save the State from this atrocious rule, the Jana Sena chief said
that the party will contest three Lok Sabha seats.
“If the 24 Assembly seats that the Jana Sena is now contesting and three Lok Sabha seats comprising 21 segments, the party is in the race in a total of 45 segments,” Pawan Kalyan explained. The Jana Sena chief called upon the party leaders and cadre to set aside their personal interests and work for the success of the combine.
“Soon after the government is formed the services of those who have made certain sacrifices will be remembered and they will be honoured with some nominated posts,” Pawan Kalyan said and asked the cadre of both the Jana Sena and the TDP to work together and not fall prey to the conspiracies of the YSRCP.
