Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national secretary Nara Lokesh on Tuesday urged people’s elected representatives in Krishna and Guntur districts to resign to their posts in support of the protesting farmers.
Speaking after the conclusion of a 24-hour fast by Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Rammohan near Benz Circle here, Mr. Lokesh said en masse resignations was the only way to force a climbdown by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on the Capital issue. He said if insider trading, as claimed by the YSR Congress Party, had really taken place in Amaravati, why its leaders were silent for seven months, and why no cases had been booked till date.
The TDP leader said the decision on Amaravati was taken only after securing the approval of everybody, including Mr. Jagan, who was then Leader of the Opposition.
“People of Visakhapatnam have never asked for capital there. The Chief Minister is creating rifts between regions for political gain,” he alleged.
‘Flight of capital’
Farmers had parted with 33,000 acres land reposing trust in the then CM N. Chandrababu Naidu. Many buildings had been constructed in the area as part of capital development. Mr. Lokesh said big companies which were interested in investing in the State were now shifting their proposed projects to neighbouring Telangana.
He said police personnel deployed in the Capital region were asked to thwart farmers’ protests. It was unfortunate that the farmers who were fighting for a just cause were being portrayed as “hired crowd.” He said farmers’ protests would continue until the government conceded their demands.
Mr. Lokesh was arrested and released in the evening.
