The YSR Congress party on Saturday claimed that the family of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy holds the patent for holding padayatras in the state.
Talking to reporters after paying tributes to YSR at his samadhi at Idupulapaya, YSRCP Tirupati MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said that it was YSR who brought the Congress to power by conducting a revolutionary padayatra before the 2004 elections. He said that YSR's padayatra was aimed at understanding the problems faced by people during the TDP's regime.
He said that similarly, Sharmila would be undertaking a 3,000-km padayatra from October 18 to study the "sufferings of people" due to the non-implementation of YSR's welfare schemes by the present Congress government.
Karunakar Reddy denied that Sharmila's padayatra was a copy of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu's ongoing "Vastunna Mee Kosam" padayatra. He said that Naidu was the one who emulated YSR and launched a padayatra hoping that he would come to power like YSR did in 2004.
Describing Naidu's padayatra as a stage-managed show and a failure, he said that Sharmila's "Praja Prasthanam" yatra would "truly represent" the common man. He said that he hoped that YSRCP president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy would take over the padayatra from Sharmila after his release from jail.
Earlier, YSRCP leaders held a meeting to review the arrangements for Sharmila's padayatra. During the meeting, it was decided to hold a massive public meeting at Idupulapaya on October 18. Further, the tentative route map for the padayatra, and venues to hold street-corner meetings enroute, were also finalised.
Former MP Bhuma Nagireddy, MLAs Amarnath Reddy, G Srikanth Reddy and K Srinivasulu, MLC Narayana Reddy and other leaders were also present. (INN)
filed in:Padayatras, Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, YSR Congress Party