YS Jagan Mohan Reddy warns NDA: YSRCP’s support for Bills in Parliament will be ‘issue based’

Since his bête noir Chandrababu Naidu is now on BJP’s side, Jagan Mohan Reddy appeared to be reminding the saffron party politely that it cannot take any indefensible and rash decisions that might harm the interests of the YSRCP, without running the risk of losing its support.

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‘Should be on the side of people’

“We are just one MP short of the 16 MPs that the TDP has. Nobody can do anything to us. We should not lose courage. We have to be on the side of the people and fight for the protection of their interest,” he said

He cautioned the MPs that while raising voices in Parliament, the watchword should be the interests of the state and the nation.

“We will extend support to anyone on the merits of the issue. The MPs should act in accordance with the party line. Their conduct in the House should make them hold their heads high,” he said.

The former chief mistier announced that V Vijayasai Reddy would continue to be the leader of the party in Rajya Sabha while PV Midhun Reddy will lead the party in Lok Sabha.

“YV Subba Reddy will be the parliamentary party leader. I am available to all. You are free to consult me on any issue. Let us all sit together, discuss issues and move forward. Keep in mind that our party has a clear ideology. We have to take it forward. The party will remember you if you work hard for its growth,” he said

‘People will come back to us’

Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was apparently trying to lift their spirits after the debilitating defeat that the YSRCP suffered in the hands of the NDA in the state, said: “Don’t forget that we have got 40 percent votes in the recent Assembly elections which means there was an erosion of 10 percent votes to the number of votes we have polled in the 2019 Assembly elections.”

“I have faith in this 10 percent of voters that they would soon understand the difference between the YSRCP and the present government. There is a beneficiary of the YSRCP government in every household. They will come back to us.” he said.

The former chief minister said that lakhs of activists are dependent on the party.

“There are thousands of leaders in the party. We have to ensure that the party will move forward. We should not lose courage under any circumstances,” he said, reminding that he was still young and had enough steam left in him.

“I have taken out padayatra for 14 months. By the grace of God, I have the energy to fight my way back,” he said.

Stating that time goes by swiftly, the former chief minister said he doesn’t remember much from Naidu’s tenure from 2014 to 2019 and that the TDP chief’s current term in office would also pass by similarly.

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Defends land titling Act

Defending the Land Titling Act which had been scrapped by the NDA government in the state, he said that it was in continuation of the similar act brought out by the Centre.

“When the YSRCP moved the Bill in the Assembly the TDP had supported it. The TDP said it had all the elements the US and European countries were following. But the TDP, by the time elections arrived, had sown the Land Titling Act as a bogey to the people and spread vile hatred against the YSRCP,” he said.

Jagan Mohan Reddy reflected that bringing the legislation was difficult.

“Before we could give shape to the Act, we had appointed 15,000 surveyors across the state to conduct land surveys. The Act would preclude the possibility of anyone intent on doing mischief while buying or selling land. The state government, for the first time in history, was guaranteeing the ownership of the land to the person who buys it,” he said.

“In case there was any mistake, the state government would provide compensation to the persons to which title of the land had been given. The TDP which supported the Act, has now abolished it. This shows the kind of politics the TDP always indulges in,” he added.

(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)