YS Jagan Will Always Stand By The People Of AP: Vijayamma

YSR Congress party honorary president and wife of former Chief Minister late Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy, YS Vijayamma spoke to regional TV news channel. Here are excerpts from her interview.

Q. What is the difference you have noticed in YS Jagan Mohan Reddy since Odarpu Yatra and Praja Sankalpa Yatra?

In Odarpu Yatra, he was learning about things, now after Praja Sankalpa, he appears mature and from a normal person, he has evolved into a leader in padayatra.

Q.TDP is calling this yatra a trip to please voters. What is the use of this yatra?

The main reason behind the yatra was to interact with the public to get a first-hand account of their problems. Chandrababu has not implemented loan waiver to farmers, no irrigation projects have been completed. All the projects he is boasting about were built at the time of Dr. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Q.What is your take on Chandrababu’s announcement on doubling the pensions?

Navaratnalu is being planned by the YSRCP and YS Jagan announced that pensions would be doubled during the Nellore meeting a year ago. Chandrababu is doing it now. It is evident he is scared of padayatra.

Q. TDP is saying YSRCP is with Narendra Modi, as YS Jagan is scared of cases on him, are you really in support of BJP?

Chandrababu supported Modi and never asked for Special Category Status, he always called YSRCP as young Congress, now he has himself forged an alliance with them. He has no moral right to talk about us. He has done nothing for the state, no fees reimbursement disbursed, no farmer issues heard. YSRCP is a small party in the Union but still moved the no-confidence motion against the PM for 13 days.

Q. Is YSRCP going to support any party at the Centre?

Since the beginning, YSRCP has always been alone when it comes to the Centre, we are going to support the party which is going to grant the Special Category status to Andhra Pradesh.

Q. TRS and MIM are willing to help YSRCP in AP, would you like to join hands with them?

YSRCP is a strong party and can run on its own strength if TRS and MIM want to support, it is a welcome move. MIM leader, Asaduddin Owaisi said, YS Jagan is a friend and he will campaign across the state to unite Muslims for YSRCP.

Q. Are you going to contest in the upcoming elections?

No, I am not going to contest and I feel there is no need for me to do so. However, if the party needs my help in campaigning, I will certainly do my bit.

Q. As a mother you support him as a son or as a leader?

I support, in both.

Q A murderous attack was launched on your son YS Jagan at the Visakhapatnam airport, what do you feel about the attack?

The murderous attack was a depressing one, that is when I came to know people can stoop to such low levels for power. They even linked me and my daughter to the attack which was disgusting. Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy even met Chandrababu after the Alipiri blast incident and spoke to him. But, Chandrababu lacks even that basic courtesy.

Q. Do you think Navaratnalu have reached the people?

Yes, they have reached to people across the state. In the last election, we lost by 5,00,000 votes. This government has done nothing to the people of the state. So YS Jagan is standing up for them and questioning the government on their behalf.

Q. YS Jagan is promising many things but not the loan waiver?

In the last election, the amount was almost Rs 86,000 crores, but this time as the government has not resolved them on time, it has gone beyond one lakh crores, which won't be accepted by the Centre. So YS Jagan has announced many other benefits for farmers like Crop Insurance, maximum support price, and money to invest before the cultivation season begins. Crop insurance was actually started by YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

Q. YS Jagan in the concluding meeting of the padayatra said, I want to be in power. He is craving power is what TDP saying, what is your view?

In the same meeting, he also said, if he cannot fulfill the promise, he will resign in the middle of his term. This family is never after money and power, since the beginning. Crores of people elect one leader as Chief Minister, what a leader can do is clearly shown to the people by Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy. Following in his footsteps, the Praja Sankalpa Yatra was undertaken to learn about the people and even tell them, what he was willing to do for them.

Q. It was also said, during the last election that YS Jagan underperformed in poll management, but Chandrababu is a senior leader and very good at strategizing elections, what is your view?

Last elections Chandrababu won because of money. He also went into an alliance with Narendra Modi, when the wave was at its peak. Jana Sena also was in support of Chandrababu. But, this time it is not going to be the same situation. Chandrababu did nothing for the people he has not completed the Polavaram project and Pattiseema project. He is boasting about giving water to Rayalaseema, but all those projects were done during the regime of Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

Q.What do you think is the role of Pawan Kalyan in the elections, if YSRCP goes alone then the anti-government vote may split?

People are aware of all the leaders, what all they did, Pawan does something only when he has time, before the elections, he just asked the people to vote for TDP, and three years, he was silent. Since a year he is talking against TDP. From the past six months, he is commenting against Nara Lokesh. He goes to the same location YS Jagan is going to visit, a day before and conducts a meeting.

Also Read: Proud Of YS Jagan’s Padayatra: Vijayamma In Special Interview