YSRCP leaders barge into Nara Lokesh's virtual meet with students

Amaravati, June 9: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Nara Lokesh was shocked on Thursday after two leaders of Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) appeared on the screen during his Zoom meeting with 10th standard students who failed in the recent exams.

Former minister Kodali Nani and MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan barged into the virtual meeting, apparently using IDs created in the name of students.

Lokesh, who is the General Secretary of TDP and the son of TDP President and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, slammed the YSRCP leaders for disturbing the meeting by creating fake IDs.

Immediately on noticing the two leaders of the ruling party, the organisers switched off their mikes. Lokesh remarked that the YSRCP leaders could personally witness how the inefficiency of the government resulted in a large number of students failing in the Second School Certificate (SSC) exams.

Kodali Nani, however, later told reporters that they had to enter the virtual meeting to counter the false propaganda of Lokesh. He alleged that the TDP leader was instigating innocent children to suicide.

The TDP has alleged that 10 students committed suicide after failing in the exams, blaming the government for the failure of over two lakh students.

Out of over six lakh students who appeared for the exams, only 67 per cent have passed, the lowest pass percentage in seven years.

Nani, however, attributed this to the impact of Covid-19. He pointed out that students could not study in 8th and 9th standards properly as no classes could be conducted.

He said lack of facilities to conduct online classes in government schools also led to an increase in the fail percentage.

Nani said the students will get another chance to prove themselves by appearing in the special exams to be held a month later.

On the demand to allot grace marks to students who failed in the exams, the YSRCP leader remarked that if grace marks are given, the students will become like Lokesh and Pawan Kalyan (Jana Sena Party leader and actor).

Meanwhile, TDP state unit chief K. Atchannaidu slammed the YSRCP leaders for obstructing the Zoom conference of Nara Lokesh.

What could Kodali Nani do in such a meeting when he did not even pass 10th class, he said.

Atchannaidu said the YSRCP leaders have played a dangerous game with over 2 lakh students who failed in the exams.

When Nara Lokesh tried to do justice to the students and their parents, the YSRCP leaders tried to disrupt their Zoom meeting, he said.

Another TDP leader Ayyanna Patrudu said he would soon hold a Zoom conference for YSRCP leaders who had failed in the 10th class exams some 20-30 years ago.