Undavalli: Referring to the oath taken by former minister and YSRCP leader Jogi Ramesh at the abode of Goddess Kanakadurga, minister Nara Lokesh said that he was also ready to take oath provided former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also takes oath in the presence of Goddess.

Addressing the media at his camp office here on Monday, Lokesh said, “The opposition leaders are seeking action against Kasibugga temple trustee, who is 94-year-old gentleman. He profusely apologised for the mishap and said that he never anticipated such large turnout of devotees. What is the point in punishing him by putting him in jail?”

“The government acted immediately and a number of ministers including me went and presented ex gratia cheques to the bereaved families,” he recalled.

The previous government caused enormous loss to the exchequer and to the consumers by revoking the power purchase agreements, he recalled. “No sane person would cancel the PPAs,” he opined stating that the government was still struggling to overcome that crisis. He said that it was a point of pride that the government reduced the tariff by 13 paise which was done by no other state government.