Jagan Mohan Reddy concedes defeat, says party will become 'voice of voiceless'

Amaravati, Jun 4 (PTI) The outgoing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday said he failed to understand the reason for YSR Congress party's debacle in the assembly polls, despite implementing several welfare measures "without any trace of corruption".

In a media briefing, Jagan, who won from the Pulivendula assembly segment by a majority of over 61,000 votes, said the party will rise from here to be with the people to do good.

"I didn't imagine that the results would come in this fashion. I don't know what happened to the love shown (on YSRCP) by the aged people for whom we hiked their welfare pensions which was a pittance earlier," said a flummoxed Reddy.

Observing that the YSRCP government took steps for children by incorporating schemes like 'Amma Vodi', which benefited 53 lakh mothers, Reddy claimed that he doesn't know what happened to all those sisters' votes.

He reminded that 66 lakh aged people, specially-abled people, widows and others benefited in his regime 'unlike any other time'.

Listing out a few more welfare schemes, Reddy wondered how he was unable to garner the votes of more than one crore women who benefited from his direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes.

Citing reforms in fields such as education, agriculture and others, the YSRCP chief said that he is unable to understand as to where the support from those sections vanished.

"I can't say somebody has cheated, but there is no proof. God knows what happened, but I can't do anything. We will take the people's verdict but will definitely be there to do good for the people," Reddy added.

He assured that the party would stand by the poor, especially by being vocal for them.

According to Reddy, the NDA alliance of TDP, BJP and Janasena belongs to 'big people' which can influence politics in Delhi as well.

"I am ready to face challenges. All the very best to the people (parties) who came to the government (came to power)," he said.

"YSR Congress Party will act as the voice of the voiceless," he further said.

He congratulated TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan and BJP for their astounding victory.

According to the latest tally, TDP won 105 Assembly seats (leading in 29), Janasena 17 (leading in four) and BJP five (leading in three). YSR Congress won three seats and is leading in nine others.

Andhra Pradesh went to polls on May 13 for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in a single phase. PTI GDK STH KH