TDP's Nara Lokesh alleges YSRCP govt led by Jagan Reddy tapped his phones and "destroyed evidence"

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 7 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Nara Lokesh on Friday alleged that the YSRCP government led by Jagan Reddy tapped his phones and said that the erstwhile government also "destroyed the evidence."
"So there is clear-cut intelligence input that systematic destruction of evidence is happening by the erstwhile government. I am told that they have also asked for access to the core data of the Financial Management System implemented by ACP. ACP was asked to provide access. Now it is a new government. I believe the request has been turned down. All of us know that our phone calls have been tapped. I've come out in public to clearly state that my phone was attacked by Pegasus. I have proof that it's been attacked twice. As recent as April it has been attacked by Pegasus," Lokesh said.
He further said that Chandrababu Naidu has already asked the DG to submit a report on whether Andhra Pradesh has Pegasus.
"N Chandrababu Naidu has already asked the DG to submit a report on whether Andhra Pradesh has Pegasus and if yes, who it's been used against give all details thereof. So there is destruction of evidence or wrongdoings happening. Mr Naidu the current designate of the Chief Minister has directed the DG to stop all that and further instruction has been given," he added.
Earlier on April 12, Nara said that the latest incident poses a grave threat to democracy, and the TDP will make sure to fight it all the way. "If this is the way things are going to be, then it is a grave danger to democracy because we are fighting on behalf of people. This government is filing false cases and trying to hack our phones... TDP will fight this all the way."
He further said that the TDP is part of the NDA and unconditionally the party will support them adding that they are looking forward to working with the NDA government.
"As soon as the results started coming in, N. Chandrababu Naidu started calling the PM and Union Home Minister and wished them. Then made it very clear that TDP is part of NDA and unconditionally we will support. We need strong leaders & leaders who can take the country forward. It is important to support such leaders, our support is unconditional. The state of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 was bifurcated against the majority view of the people of Andhra Pradesh. One of the major reasons was the loss of Hyderabad. Hyderabad is the economic powerhouse and a lot of people depend on it...I understand that there will always be constraints, therefore we look forward to working together and creating a very conducive environment where investments will come into the state...We have to create jobs both in the private & public sectors. We look forward to working with the NDA government," he said.
Asked about cabinet portfolios in the NDA government, Nara Lokesh said that they have no expectations as they believe in leadership.
"We have no expectations. Our support is unconditional. And because we believe in leadership and we believe that strong states make a strong nation. So our support is purely unconditional. In the end, all we would request, it's not even a condition to give us funds. Please look at Andhra for investments and support us to take things forward. Vajpayee was very magnanimous. He supported erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad is almost close, if not beaten Chennai in terms of being the economic capital. All this happened because back then Vajpayee Ji supported us...I have no conditions. It depends on the leadership of the TDP and NDA. I think they know my capacity and N. Chandrababu Naidu is known for putting the right person in the right place for the right job. That's his strength and he's known for building leaders... So we will continue to build leaders and I am one such leader that the party is nurturing," he added.
When asked about his views on the central government policies, the TDP National General Secretary said that Andhra Pradesh and specifically TDP MPs have a role to play.
"Clearly, Andhra Pradesh and specifically TDP MPs have a role to play. Andhra has given a clear 21-seat mandate to the NDA government. It's a very, very important mandate. At the same time, the way I look at it is that apart from politics, believe that strong states make a strong nation. The Prime Minister believes in creating a USD 5 trillion economy. I believe Andhra Pradesh alone can be a trillion-dollar economy. So we can do port-led development, manufacturing development, we can create a petrochemical corridor. The entire green hydrogen is the next wave. We can at least do two megaprojects in the state of Andhra Pradesh. So there are a lot of opportunities to develop our state. And like we have done in the past, our support is unconditional and the only thing we would request in return is to develop our state," he said.
He further said that there is no place for arrogance and bad governance in Andhra Pradesh.
"A political party that had 151 out of 175 seats has been reduced to a mere 11 seats. So the writing is on the wall. There is no place for arrogance and bad governance. So we must keep our heads in the game. We have to remain humble, and accessible to people. Our leadership should be humble, and people's government is what is required. A corrupt, free governance is what we need to deliver," he said.
Lokesh further said that it is important for them not to disrupt things, but to maintain continuity in governance and take things forward.
"As part of my padayatra, I've made it very clear that the education sector should receive more funds. We have to transform our curriculum from KG to PG, women empowerment. Respecting women should be part of her curriculum. It's very, very important because atrocities against women have only been going up and not coming down. So we should imbibe it, we should create it. It should be part of our blood and our education system. So that's something that I believe we should do. We need to strengthen the healthcare system also," he said.
Speaking about Mangalagiri, Nara Lokesh said that Mangalagiri is a very typical constituency and TDP last won the elections from here in 1985.
"Mangalagiri is a very typical constituency. TDP last won it in 1985 when I decided to enter direct elections. N. Chandrababu Naidu asked me to go to safe seats. I said no, give me a seat that TDP has never won and I'll turn it around. 2019 I contested and I lost with close to 5300 votes. But last five years I have remained committed to the people and I worked very hard. I'm really glad that people embraced me, appreciated my hard work and got me to win with close to 91,413 votes, close to a lack of a majority. It also has a great responsibility on me that I need to take care of my constituents and Mangalagiri people...There are a lot of land-related issues, and regularizations where over decades people have been living in certain types of lands. They would like a land title with all the rights to sell and trade and so on, so forth, and of course basic necessities like drinking water, drainage...So our agenda is cut out and we are going to deliver on it," he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in alliance with Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party contested the Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections.
The alliance performed strongly, securing 21 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The TDP won 16 seats, BJP three and JanaSena Party two.
In the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections, NDA registered a massive victory winning 164 out of the 175 seats in the Andhra Pradesh assembly with TDP winning 135 seats, Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party (JSP) 21, and the BJP winning 8 seats.
Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to be sworn in as the Chief Minister on June 12th, with a state cabinet-sharing meeting likely to take place on June 10th.