Chandrababu Naidu’s Mahanadu conclave attended by 25,000, address via Zoom

Amid restrictions and a nationwide lockdown in place, the Telugu Desam Party began its two-day conclave – Mahanadu – on digital platform Zoom on Wednesday. The party claims the event was attended by 25,000 delegates.

Held once every two years to elect the party president and other committees, it also deliberates upon various issues ranging from national to state affairs.

Chandrababu Naidu addressed those delegates through Zoom webinar application. The Mahanadu is expected to adopt 13 resolutions during the two-day conclave.

Technology and innovation, Naidu said, would provide solutions to any problem faced by the human society. He added, if the TDP was able to overcome limitations of social distancing during Covid-19 mandated lockdown, it was due to the early steps that the party took towards digital socialisation. “Digital Mahanadu 2020 is also a part of this initiative,” he said.

Recounting that earlier Mahanadu conclaves used to be held in presence of thousands of activists and followers, the TDP chief said because of restrictions due to lockdown, he chose to hold an online conclave. “The TDP has emerged as the first political party to hold India’s first digital political conclave,” said Naidu.

Stating that the TDP had to go through a very tough time in the last one year, Naidu said the party was able to fight back all the setbacks with the self-confidence of the party cadre. “In an unprecedented manner, the YCRCP government had targeted the TDP leaders and cadre, attacked their financial roots, crippled their business activities and even engineered physical attacks. It was a painful year with hundreds of TDP activists being implicated in false cases and put in jail for no fault of theirs,” he said.

Launching a blistering attack on chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his party, he said the one-year rule of Jagan had wrecked all sections of the people: politically, socially and financially. The TDP chief alleged that CM Jagan has pushed the state economy into an irrecoverable, bankrupt situation.

The TDP chief alleged that the Jagan government has not spent a single rupee on irrigation projects or launched a new one. Even the lifeline project of Polavaram, he added, has come to a halt and was now stuck in legal hurdles in the court.

Naidu further alleged that Jagan ‘s policies led to flight of investments and industries from the state, eventually causing huge loss of job opportunities to workers, youth and other sections. While several industries like Kia Motors, Hero Motors, Asian Paints and others had come to India during the TDP regime, proposed Adani Data Centre, Reliance Electronics and other industries had been shelved during the Jagan regime, he alleged.

By stopping works worth thousands of crores of rupees in Amaravati Capital City, the Jagan government had caused serious harm to farmers who sacrificed their lands, said the leader, who was also the former CM of the state.

“While the farmers were still holding their protests braving hot summer and coronavirus lockdown, the chief minister was deriving sadistic pleasure,” he alleged.

The TDP wondered whether Jagan had asked for ‘one chance’ from the people to destroy the state in every way possible. He deplored that Jagan had imposed an additional burden of Rs 50,000 crore on the people in the form of new taxes and hike in power tariff and liquor prices.

Naidu stressed the need for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to sort out their differences over Krishna water sharing.

Stressing the need for using latest technology, innovation and digital socialisation, Naidu called upon the TDP cadres and people of Andhra to fight back anti-development policies of the state government.

Several resolutions on various subjects like coronavirus pandemic, increase of power tariff and protection of temple properties were passed through voice vote.