ANDHRA PRADESH: Lokesh Hits Back at Jagan Over Cyclone Remarks
Amid the sodden fields of Krishna district, opposition firebrand Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy stepped into the fray on November 5, 2025, offering solace to cyclone-weary farmers while unleashing barbs at the ruling duo.
His pointed remarks on absent leaders amid the deluge drew a swift, stinging comeback from Minister Nara Lokesh, turning a tale of tragedy into a tussle of tenures.
As Andhra’s political theater heats up, one wonders if relief will outpace rhetoric.
Jagan’s Ground-Level Grievances
Fresh from touring the ravaged expanses of Penamaluru, Pedana, Pamarru, and Machilipatnam, Jagan huddled with growers near Aakkumarru Lake in Guduru mandal.
Waterlogged paddy fields stretched like a grim canvas, with farmers venting frustrations over skipped assessments and stalled subsidies.
He painted a stark picture: 15 lakh acres statewide in ruins, 11 lakh of them paddy, following Cyclone Montha’s wrath just weeks prior.
In the coalition’s 18 months, 16 weather blows had battered the land, yet not a rupee in input aid had flowed to a single soul.
Targeting the Top Table
Jagan’s ire zeroed in on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s post-storm jaunt to London and son Lokesh’s detour to Mumbai for the Women’s World Cup final.
While families tallied losses in the thousands of crores, leaders chased horizons elsewhere, he charged, calling it a disconnect from the dirt-under-nails reality.
Under his YSRCP watch, every farmer felt the safety net, from universal crop insurance to timely payouts via Rythu Bharosa Kendras. Now, e-crop portals loomed like a mantra without muscle, and one-day tallies mocked the mess.
He rallied:
- Restore free insurance for all 1.3 crore tillers
- Dispatch subsidies without the red tape
- Buy back battered harvests at fair rates
The pledge rang clear: YSRCP would stand sentinel until equity edged in.
Lokesh’s Fiery Flip
Minister Lokesh wasted no time, firing back with a blend of defense and deflection that cut deep.
“Jagan garu, who visits Andhra Pradesh only from time to time, points one finger at us who are always among the people. But he forgets that four fingers point back at him. From the moment the cyclone warning was issued until normalcy was restored, everyone—from the Chief Minister to the MLAs, from the Chief Secretary to the Village Secretaries—stood by the people and helped them.
You were not here to see what we did during the cyclone. You live in a different world of illusion, and as long as you wander in it, you will remain unaware of reality.
I have great respect for women and devotion to the nation. That is why I went to Mumbai to watch the Women’s World Cup final. When our women won and made millions of Indians proud, I felt as if I had won myself. What do you know about patriotism or women’s empowerment when you drove away your own mother and sister?” Lokesh gave a strong rebuttal.