Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary and son of party president N Chandrababu Naidu Nara Lokesh on Friday began a 4,000-km walkathon from Kuppam, where his father has been representing Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district.
The purpose of the padayatra is to listen to the problems of the people across the state, as well as to talk about the grievances that happened during the YSR Congress rule.
What is “young galum”?
The 400-day foot march called “Yuva Galam” (voice of the young generation) will cover 150 of the 175 assembly constituencies and end at Ichapuram in Srikakulam district ahead of the state assembly elections due early next year.
Lokesh started the march amid the patronage of TDP state president Atchannaidu, Hindupur MLA and film star Nandamuri Balakrishna, film actor Tarakaratna, party MPs, MLAs, MLCs along with 400 selected volunteers from the party cadre who will take part in the walkathon and Will give them shield. TDP General Secretary for a period of 400 days to look into the situation at the ground level across the State to avoid any untoward incident.
Thank you Kuppam Telugudesam family for your warm welcome. I am lucky to have Taragni by your side. With your blessings #yuvagalam It is about to begin. I would like to express my gratitude to all the elders, leaders and supporters of Telugu Desam Party who came for the beginning of the padayatra. pic.twitter.com/6Xglm5kDID— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) January 26, 2023
Significance of padyatras in Telugu politics
Padyatras have a prominent place in the history of Telugu politics where politicians, especially those from the opposition, undertake these yatras to get a favorable mandate in the upcoming elections.
All this before Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader YS Rajasekhara Reddy embarked on a 60-day, 1,500-km padayatra “Praja Prasthanam” (people’s movement) on April 9 from Chevella in Ranga Reddy district to highlight drought-related problems in Andhra Pradesh. journey of). , 2003.
His padayatra ended at Ichchapuram in Srikakulam district after covering 11 districts including Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, West and East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, and Srikakulam.
Vizianagaram district in undivided Andhra Pradesh.
During his walkathon, the CLP leader addressed a large number of public meetings and listened patiently to people from all walks of life who shared their problems. Although there is opposition within the party itself to his status as the chief ministerial candidate, YSR’s padayatra led the Congress party to a landslide victory in the 2004 elections, winning 157 of the 294 assembly seats.
The party came to power after a gap of 10 years and for the first time in his political career, YS Rajasekhara Reddy was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the then Andhra Pradesh. Taking cues from his foot march, he launched various development schemes and welfare programmes, which helped him and his party once again win prestigious positions and power in the state after the 2009 elections.
TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu did a 1,700 km long padayatra, “Vastunna Me Kosam” (I am coming to reach you) in 2013, contested the assembly elections in 2014 and was sworn in as the first chief minister of Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation . of the state. He has to wait for about 12 months to see whether his walkathon gets the desired results or not. It worked and his party came to power in April 2014 after elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and the Lok Sabha.
Other padayatras
Following the footsteps of his father late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the Praja Sankalp Yatra launched on November 6, 2017, at his home town Idupulapaya in YSR district. The Praja Sankalp Yatra concluded on January 9, 2019. Ichchapuram in Srikakulam district covered 2516 villages and 135 assembly constituencies of 13 districts with a distance of 3648 kms in a span of 341 days.
The YSRCP founder reached out to the people of the state with the slogan “Ravali Jagan Kavali Jagan” (Jagan should come, we want Jagan) and the tag line ‘Nenu Vinnanu – Nenu Unnanu’ (I am here to hear you). He addressed more than 100 public meetings and met 20 million people during his padyatra, apart from roadshows. The YSRCP won 151 assembly seats out of 175 and 22 parliamentary seats out of 25, and Jagan Mohan Reddy was sworn in as the youngest chief minister of Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation.
The moment he took over as chief minister, Jagan directed the official machinery to implement a set of nine welfare programmes, also known as Navaratnalu, which he had promised during the election campaign on a war footing.
YSR Rythu Bharosa, Fee Reimbursement, Youth Employment and Job Creation, Aarogyasri, YSR Jalayaganam, Prohibition of Liquor, Amma Vodi (Mothers from poor families need not worry about children’s education. Rs.15,000/- to mothers For Navratnalu children including financial assistance)
Educ.), YSR Asara, YSR Cheyuta, Housing for all poor and increase in pension are being implemented by the YSRCP government without any hindrance or any financial constraint after keeping an eye on the welfare of the people across the state.
YSRTP President Sharmila undertook a “Maro Praja Prasthanam” (Journey to Others) padayatra from 18 October 2012 to 4 August 2013 in 14 districts of undivided Andhra Pradesh. She walked nearly 3,000 kilometers to garner people’s support for the YSR Congress Party, which was recently founded by her brother YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is imprisoned in a CBI case.
Currently, apart from Sharmila, leaders like Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, Telangana BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Telangana Congress state president Revanth Reddy are in a mood to launch padyatras in the Telugu states.
Speaking to News18, senior journalist Subramaniam has said that the walkathon by the leaders will have a positive impact on the people. People say that the leaders reached their doorsteps to listen to their problems and solve them. Senior journalist Most leaders such as YS Rajasekhara Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy have pro-people policies depending on the outcome of the padyatra after coming to power.
Now, TDP general secretary Lokesh has recently joined the list of leaders who have started walkathons to attract people’s attention. It remains to be seen whether Lokesh’s “Yuva Galam” padayatra yields the expected results.
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