Lokesh challenges Jagan to debate on teacher recruitment process

Human Resource Development Minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday held a press conference in Mangalagiri, where he accused the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) of spreading misinformation on teacher recruitment, voter enrolment, and the state government’s welfare initiatives. He invited YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to a public debate on the District Selection Committee (DSC) teacher recruitment process. The minister was speaking after participating in development programmes alongside Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar.

Lokesh defended the state government’s handling of DSC recruitments, stating that 16,000 teacher posts had been filled within 150 days. He said the process was conducted transparently and in accordance with horizontal and vertical reservation norms. He claimed that YSRCP leaders had filed multiple court cases against the recruitment process while simultaneously accusing the government of delays. “I challenge Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy to a public debate on the DSC issue; let the people know the facts,” the minister said. The DSC recruitment, the primary mechanism for hiring teachers in Andhra Pradesh, had been a contentious issue, with the previous YSRCP government being accused of bottlenecks in the process.

On allegations of voter manipulation, Lokesh rejected the claims, stating that the coalition government had no reason to remove any votes. He maintained that voter registration was being updated using publicly available data from the Election Commission and was open to public scrutiny. He asserted that the process was transparent and did not warrant the opposition’s allegations.

The minister also addressed recent remarks made by YSRCP leader Gudivada Amarnath against Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha. He said the opposition party had been repeatedly insulting women and that its president was condoning such a culture. Lokesh asked how Jagan Mohan Reddy would react if leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) made similar personal comments about women in his family or party. He highlighted that the TDP-led government had taken strict action even against its own supporters for making objectionable comments about women, underscoring its commitment to respectful discourse.

Turning to development issues, Lokesh accused the previous YSRCP government of neglecting industrial growth and the development of Amaravati. He claimed that under the current administration, several infrastructure projects had been revived, including a railway overbridge at Nidamarru and a comprehensive underground drainage network in Mangalagiri. The Nidamarru overbridge is designed to ease traffic congestion, while the drainage project addresses a long-pending demand of residents. The minister pledged to personally monitor the progress of these works, stating that transforming Mangalagiri into a model constituency was a key objective. He added that sustained investment in civic infrastructure and public services would drive this transformation.

The minister concluded by reiterating that the coalition government was committed to transparent and accountable governance. He said it would not be deterred by what he termed misinformation campaigns and urged the opposition to engage in constructive debate rather than personal attacks. He also stressed that welfare schemes, including education and rural development initiatives, were reaching the intended beneficiaries without discrimination.