Free electricity for Ganesh pandals across Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh government will provide free electricity to Ganesh pandals across the State during Ganesh Chaturthi, Minister Nara Lokesh announced. He also recalled TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu’s 2023 arrest, thanking the Telugu community for its support

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to provide free electricity to Ganesh pandals across the State. Minister for Human Resources Development and Information Technology Nara Lokesh made the announcement on Wednesday.

“I am happy to announce that this Ganesh Chaturthi, all Ganesh pandals across Andhra Pradesh will be provided with free electricity. This is a major festive initiative by our government to support communities celebrating across the State and make the celebrations even more vibrant,” he posted on X.

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“May Lord Ganesha bless every family with prosperity, happiness and success,” the Minister added.

Ganesh Chaturthi is scheduled to be celebrated from September 14 to 25.

In another post, Nara Lokesh recalled the arrest of his father and present Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2023.

“Three years ago, the YSRCP party illegally imprisoned Chandrababu Naidu garu on this very day in a fabricated case for political gains. From that day, for 53 days, the entire Telugu community worldwide stood in support of Chandrababu garu, chanting ‘Let the truth prevail’. The truth has prevailed, and Chandrababu garu has been released from illegal detention,” wrote the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) working president.

“All the fabricated cases have been quashed by the courts. The truth has won. Remembering those dark days from back then… I once again express my heartfelt gratitude to the Telugu community for their support,” he said.

The TDP alleged that then Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had Chandrababu Naidu arrested by the CID in connection with allegations of corruption in the AP Skill Development Corporation.

The TDP chief was arrested in Nandyal and spent 53 days in jail. The party said people erupted in anger and “wrote the death warrant” for Jagan’s rule.

The CID arrested Naidu on September 9, 2023, in connection with the Skill Development scam, which allegedly took place when he was the Chief Minister. The next day, a court in Vijayawada sent him to judicial custody.

On October 31, he was released from Rajahmundry Central Prison after the Andhra Pradesh High Court granted him bail.

Naidu said, “I neither did anything wrong nor allowed anyone to do anything wrong.”