YSRCP govt made Andhra Pradesh "drug capital" of country: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan

Anakapalli (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 8 : Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan has alleged that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government has made Andhra Pradesh the "drug capital" of the country.
"The YSRCP regime went on to weaken youth power and make youth addicted to ganja. We will put an end to such a rule and drag this YSRCP government, which has turned the state into a drug capital, out of the state," Kalyan said while addressing an election rally here on Sunday.
"My aim is to protect the state. I say, as the witness of Anakapalli Nukalamma's mother (deity of Nookambika Ammavari Temple), that we will protect the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is said that any personality emerges when given power. It is only now that the people of the state have realised the meaning of giving power to this Chief Minister (YS Jagan Mohan Reddy)," he added.
He said that the Janasena Party wants the future of the state to be high and the coming generation to be better.
He said that the Janasena Party aligned with the BJP and TDP to ensure that anti-YSRCP votes should not be divided.
Speaking about the alliance parties' candidates, he said, "Konatala Ramakrishna, Nadendla Manohar and Mandali Buddha Prasad should win and speak for the people in the Assembly. I strongly believe that the future of the state will be better if leaders who are fully aware of the people's problems bring policies for the people in the assembly. Surely the leaders who have full political understanding and think for the people will stand for the betterment of Andhra Pradesh. I led the party with great commitment for a decade. It is not a big deal to get a ministerial position using the closeness with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. But I took a step forward to stand strong for the future of the people."
Last month, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila also alleged that the state has been turned into the "drug capital" of the country during the YSRCP government.
The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for May 13, with vote counting set for June 4.
Notably, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly consists of 175 seats and a party would need at least 88 seats to form a government.
In the 2014 Assembly elections, the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP won with a majority of 102 seats. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP won 67 seats. The BJP could only win four seats by contesting against the two regional heavyweights.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the YSRCP won with a thumping majority of 151 seats, while the TDP was confined to 23 seats.
The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha as well as the assemblies will take place on June 4.