Work hard; tough task ahead: Vijayamma

Idupulapaya (YSR Kadapa dist), Feb 2 (INN): Recalling the turmoil the family had gone through during the past four years and the unflinching support extended by the people of the State to them YS Vijayamma has said that the Party has set high moral standards in politics and has a tough task ahead which should be fulfilled by keeping the State united and giving a decisive mandate to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for bringing in a welfare state.

In her inaugural address at the second plenary of the Party, here on Sunday, she said: 'Our family had gone through the turmoil after the death of YSR and could overcome it with the overwhelming support and immense faith you people have shown in YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and believed that he can bring back the golden era of YSR.

Our Party has born in a struggle and has been in the forefront on all people's issue under the leadership of Jagan who is determined to keep the state united. We have left no stone unturned and the mandate to the Party will keep the State united and will be developed into a welfare state by Jagan,' she said at the Plenary, which coincides with the birth anniversary of YSR.

Turning emotional, she recalled the early days after the death of YSR, her son being jailed and her daughter hitting the road for padayatra. I was very disturbed to see Jagan going to court and used to become very emotional. But finally justice prevailed and with the support of all well wishers and the cadre he has come out and is leading a fight from the front against the division of the state.

The state is at a crucial juncture and the ensuing elections will decide the future of the State. We will go ahead with our goal and win the final battle which enables Jagan to shape the united state as one of the most prosperous one in the country.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Leader if Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu are responsible for the Centre's decision to divide the state. They have deceived the people through out.

While Chief Minister had given roadmaps to the Centre and asked his MLAs not to quit and had forced the APNGOs to call off the strike and was hyperactive in getting Departmental clearances in 17 hours and opened the Assembly doors wide for the tabling the Bill, Chandrababu Naidu had given a letter in favour of the division and has played double game though out the assembly session.

YSR Congress has explored all the available options from submitting resignations, to writing letters, giving affidavits to the President to asking the Governor and Chief Minister to convene the assembly to pass a resolution in favour of a united state and giving notice under rule 77.

While the government did not respond to our demands, suddenly the Chief Minister emulated us and gave the same notice which we have given to reject the Bill and Naidu echoed his talk that the bill is defective and it should be rejected.

Eventually, the Bill was sent back but the dilly-dallying of the two leaders was thoroughly exposed. Jagan will lead a party delegation to Delhi and meet the President Pranab Mukherjee to urge him that the Bill is not acceptable to majority of the people.

For over 43 days, Kiran Kumar Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu were silent and could not judge that the Bill was defective. Jagan on his part has toured the entire country and met leaders of national and regional parties to impress upon them that there is an imperative need to amend article 3 which can be misused by the Party in power at the Centre and convinced them that Andhra Pradesh is being divided for political reasons and against the will of the majority of the people.

Recalling the services of YSR, she said, 'it was 25 years of hard work in public life that had yielded him the result and he became the Chief Minister. The padayatra he undertook had exposed him to the hardships of the people which prompted him to launch various welfare schemes.

The nine year rule of N Chandrababau Naidu is a dark age which has seen suicides by farmers, drought, indifferent governance, hike in power charges and lack of welfare schemes.

Immediately after assuming power, he waived interest on loans of farmers, and provided free power, launched numerous welfare schemes like Aarogyasri to provide quality treatment to the poor, fees reimbursement scheme to provide education to students and pavala vaddi scheme for women empowerment.

He has increased pension from Rs 75 to Rs 200 and made it available to all unlike TDP policy of quota system. He also brought the left-wing extremism under control by bringing back the naxals into mainstream.

His 25 year hard work ended in five year-three months as tragedy struck plunging the state into turmoil. Jagan was targeted and put in jail while he was in the midst of poll campaign. He told me that we have to ensure that our candidates should win as they left their political parties for us.

Sharmila and I, who were never into public life, had to come out to keep the flag afloat. With your cooperation, blessings and support we could win 15 assembly seats out of 18. Sharmila had undertaken padayatra, in place of Jagan, and had walked 3,112 km highlighting the nexus of Congress and TDP and the political vendetta in keeping Jagan away from jail.

The situation in the state is reminiscent that of 2009 and people are suffering as they were in distress during nine-year TDP misrule. Elections are very near and adversaries will float dissent and malicious propaganda against us and we should retort all such designs.

We are at very crucial point and the state needs a leader who can take forward the vision of YSR and I hope our Party under the leadership of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will fulfill that task, she said.