YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy questioned the campaign of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on returning to power again
Adressing a public meeting at Anakapalle, Mr. Reddy asserted that various sections such as farmers and members of self-help groups were let down in the name of loan waiver and the unemployed by not giving allowance. The Chief Minister had mortgaged the Special Category Status for his selfish interests, he alleged.
Mr. Naidu did not keep his word on regulating belt shops, sand price soared and he levied steep taxes on petrol and diesel. Janmabhoomi committees turned into a mafia in every village, he alleged.
‘Aroygyasri’ health insurance scheme claims were not being honoured in Hyderabad but Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnundu got dental treatment done in Singapore, he pointed out.
Mr. Naidu praised the BJP when he was with it and now was siding with the Congress, Mr. Reddy said.
Charging the TDP government with diluting the fee reimbursement scheme, he said only ₹35,000 was being given for engineering courses and even that had not been reimbursed for more than a year now.
He promised reimbursement of full fee for all the courses and ₹20,000 for students towards hostel and mess fee and for the poor families sending their children to school, an incentive of ₹15,000 would be paid.
‘Ryots left out in the cold’
Farmers in the vicinity of Anakapalle, known as jaggery town for its big market, were forced to sell land with investments going up for the crop and prices falling. In contrast, in Heritage outlets, jaggery was being sold at ₹84 a kg.
Dairy farmers were being given ₹26 a litre for milk but half a litre of milk was being sold at ₹26 in retail, he said alleging that the Visakha and Sangam dairies were being run as family concerns.
Mr. Reddy promised to make Anakapalle a district, stating its merger with the GVMC only led to higher taxes.
Farmers presented a statue of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy made of jaggery to him.
Mr. Jagan began the 249th day of his yatra from Munagapaka hamlet in Achyutapuram mandal.
