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Andhra Pradesh ministers and other leaders of ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Friday hit back at actor and Jana Sena Party leader Pawan Kalyan for the "vitriolic" attack on Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
They condemned the remarks made by Pawan Kalyan at a public meeting in Vizianagaram district on Thursday and reiterated the allegation that he is working for Telugu Desam Party (TDP) under a package.
Claiming that the Jana Sena and the TDP of having the same wavelength to betray people, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister Seediri Appalaraju said that Pawan Kalyan is protecting the TDP's interests.
"Pawan Kalyan is reading the script prepared by the TDP and is passing derogatory comments on the YSRCP government. Why is he talking about the backwardness of north Andhra after 2019 and not before while his ally TDP was in power? Did Naidu threaten to cut his package if he had raised his voice then?" he asked.
Roads and Buildings Minister Dadisetti Raja said that Pawan Kalyan's aspiration is to save and serve the TDP but not his cadre. "From the beginning of his political career, Naidu and Pawan Kalyan are on the same wavelength, betraying the people, justifying the adopted son title. Pawan Kalyan made it clear that he is not capable of competing with Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy," Raja said.
The minister reminded that only around Rs 11,000 crore investments per annum were brought by the TDP in 2014-19 but the YSRCP government has now raised the bar. "The investments now have increased to Rs 15,000 crore per annum and many works have been grounded in the YSRCP government, despite facing the Covid pandemic," he said.
Industries and Commerce Minister Gudivada Amarnath slammed Pawan Kalyan for giving false hopes to the Kapu community. "The Jana Sena leader has been behaving as if he has the patent to speak on behalf of the Kapu community while he is trying to pledge its interests to Chandrababu Naidu who abused Vangaveeti Ranga's family," the minister said.
He faulted Pawan for not criticising the TDP chief "who cheated every section of the society during his five year rule".
About the recent deaths in rallies of Chandrababu Naidu, Amarnath said: "Instead of consoling the families of people who died in stampedes during the TDP rallies, Pawan Kalyan has unabashedly consoled Naidu who was solely responsible for their deaths. Pawan may be a hero in movies but he is acting like a villain in politics."
He added that "Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will remain a permanent hero in politics".
Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao also criticised Pawan Kalyan for being a seasonal politician and not being serious about his role. "The actor is imprudently quoting revolutionary poets like Sri Sri and balladeers like Vangapandu in his public meetings but he is criticising a leader like Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy who has only been following their teachings in letter and spirit and implementing various welfare schemes for the weaker sections," Prasada Rao said.
"Pawan Kalyan has no locus standi to point fingers at the Chief Minister who has been relentlessly striving hard to provide self-respect to all weaker sections through welfare schemes," Rao said.
