Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh):

Amid the ongoing debate between BJP and the Opposition leaders about the reservation and minority quota, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said 4 per cent of Muslim reservations “will remain” and that is YSR Congress Party’s “final word” on it.

Addressing a public gathering in Kurnool, he said, “On one hand, Chandrababu Naidu continues to join hands with the BJP which stands on removing the 4 per cent Muslim reservation, on the other hand, to seek minority votes, he comes up with new drama. Have you witnessed a chameleon-like Chandrababu Naidu? Come what may, 4 per cent of Muslim reservations will remain and that is YSR Congress Party’s final word on it. My only question to Chandrababu Naidu is why does he continue the alliance with the NDA even after the NDA government pledges to cancel the 4 per cent reservation?”

Commenting on the ongoing Lok Sabha election battle, Mr Reddy said, “In the next 4 days, the battle of Kurukshetra is set to take place. This election is not to elect MLAs and MPs, this election will decide the future of ongoing schemes and the development of every household. If you vote for Chandrababu Naidu, you are stopping all the welfare that this government has brought to the doorstep of the household.”

Criticising Chandrababu Naidu, he said, “For 14 years, Chandrababu Naidu boasts about being the CM – for a 3-year term. Does any poor remember the welfare that this man has brought to the State? We have brought welfare without discriminating against religion, caste, community, or other party members.”

Earlier, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s remarks on Muslim reservation had kicked up a storm and drew flak from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Muslims should get a reservation (reservation toh milna chahiye Musalmano ko, pura’…),” Mr Yadav said.

However, the RJD Chief later clarified that he was in favour of extending reservation benefits to Muslims but emphasized that it should be “based on social backwardness and not based on religion.”

“I implemented the ‘Mandal Commission’. Reservation samajik adhar par hota hai dharmik aadhar par nahi hota hai (it is based on social backwardness and not based on religion). Atal Bihari Vajpayee constituted the Constitution Review Commission,” Lalu Yadav said.

The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh will be held on May 13. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

In the 2019 Assembly elections, the YSRCP won with a thumping majority of 151 seats, while the TDP was confined to 23 seats. In the Lok Sabha polls, the YSRCP won 22 seats, while the TDP could only win three seats.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad::

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has sparked a row with his comment today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph was removed from the cover of the joint manifesto of arch rival Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party “after a call from Delhi”. Leaders of the NDA termed his comment an attempt to “create a rift” within the alliance. What was not explained was a video of ceremony to release the manifesto, where BJP state in-charge Siddharth Nath Singh could be seen refusing to accept a copy.

Speaking later, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “In an earlier version of the manifesto, photos of Chandrababu Naidu were prominently displayed alongside that of PM Modi”.

“But before Mr Naidu unveiled his manifesto today, he received a call from the BJP headquarters, saying having PM Modi’s photo on it is not acceptable. This incident only serves to highlight how unattainable his promises are,” he added.

Mr Naidu, however, issued a clarification later. The NDA, he said, has a manifesto at the national level. The TDP and Jana Sena are now releasing this manifesto in consultation with the BJP. The manifesto contains the views of all the parties, he said.    

Mr Naidu had returned to the NDA earlier this year — nearly six years after he walked out protesting against the BJP’s refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. His return was to keep at bay the ruling YSR Congress of Mr Reddy.

There is expectation that the alliance with the BJP and Pawan Kalyan would consolidate the votes of those disillusioned with the Jagan Reddy government.

Mr Naidu has said at a rally that this year will be his last election if the Telugu Desam Party is not voted to power.

The TDP which won 15 of the state’s 25 seats, was down to three in 2019 after its exit from the NDA.

Pandalaneni Sivaprasad. Katari Jagadish. Anantha Lakshmi. Syed Anwar. Challa Eswari. These not-so familiar names are going to get a lot of spotlight. They are the working class people who have been named the star campaigners by the Jagan Reddy Mohan party for the elections, possibly a first anywhere.

“Amid a popular trend of enlisting film stars, celebrities, and influencers as star campaigners for political parties, the YSRCP has chosen an extraordinary path. A path that has not been attempted anywhere in the country before. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP President Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to make the common people of Andhra Pradesh his ‘Star Campaigners’ in the upcoming elections, marking a historic first in the country,” said the party in a statement.

The party has submitted a list of “12 commoners” to the Election Commission, designating them as YSRCP’s official ‘Star Campaigners’ for the upcoming polls, adding that they will represent the nearly five crore people of the state.

“It is the YSRCP’s belief that every person of the state is their ‘Star Campaigner.’ These individuals, hailing from humble backgrounds, will campaign for the party on ground and help propagate Jagan Mohan Reddy’s message till the last mile,” the party said, aiming to score a second term.

Out of the 12 star campaigners, 4 are homemakers, 2 are farmers, 1 is an auto driver, 1 a tailor, and 4 are former government volunteers.

Earlier while campaigning, Jagan Reddy called the common people his star campaigners and asked them to go to every house and highlight the good things done by his government.

The state will go to polls on May 13 for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats. The votes will be counted on June 4.

A look at some of the star campaigners:

Pandalaneni Sivaprasad, from Avanigadda constituency, comes from a family of farmers.

Katari Jagadish, from Anakapalli constituency, runs a small roadside shop sewing seat covers for two-wheelers.

Anantha Lakshmi, representing Rajahmundry City Constituency, works at a clothing shop.

Syed Anwar, Nellore Rural, Nellore District, works as a government teacher.

Challa Eswari, from Mylavaram Constituency, works as a YSRCP government volunteer.

Pandalaneni Sivaprasad, from Avanigadda constituency, comes from a family of farmers.