After civic poll debacle, Jagan comes out swinging: ‘Will be back as Jagananna 2.0 — different, stronger’

The crucial meeting also comes amid an erosion of the YSRCP cadre and support base after it lost power in the 2024 state polls.

In the urban local polls polls in Eluru, Nellore, Hindupur, Tirupati and Nandigama, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidates and Independents supported by the TDP-led NDA won the posts of Deputy Mayor and Municipal Chairperson despite strong local support for YSRCP.

In some places, YSRCP members cross-voted for TDP or defected to it, giving the ruling party easy wins.

Jagan told dejected YSRCP leaders that “Jagananna 2.0” would operate differently, focusing on protecting and supporting every party worker amid “harassment” under the TDP-led coalition government. He assured the cadre that he was closely monitoring the difficulties they were facing and pledged his unwavering support.

“When in Opposition, challenges are inevitable. But we must remain steadfast in our values. Hardships don’t last forever. I faced unjust imprisonment for 16 months due to political conspiracies by Congress and TDP. Yet, I never took a step back. With the people’s trust, I became the chief minister. I assure you — our party will return to power and rule the state for the next 30 years,” he said at the meeting.

Jagan accused the TDP-led NDA government of failing to implement its electoral promises, and told the YSRCP leaders to take this message to the people.

“They promised `15,000 for students, `18,000 for mothers, `45,000 for elderly women and `36,000 for unemployed youth. Farmers were promised `20,000 annually. But now, people are confronting them at every doorstep, demanding answers, as the TDP has not given anything… Unlike them, we only promised what we could deliver. We fulfilled it and we gave what we promised at the doorstep of the beneficiaries. Ours is the only government in India that meticulously implemented 99% of its manifesto promises,” Jagan said.

He said that the state government, in just nine months, destroyed key institutions and failed to implement its promised “super six’ schemes. “Scams have become rampant, with kickbacks from MLAs to the Chief Minister himself. People will soon hold them accountable,” he said.