YS Jagan asks people to contrast his commitment with Naidu’s publicity lust

RAJAHMUNDRY: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy appealed to people to see the qualitative difference between the current YSRCP government, which has been steadfastly implementing welfare schemes as per its election manifesto, and the previous TDP government, which ditched every section of society and dumped its manifesto after coming to power.

Addressing a massive public meeting here on Tuesday after formally launching the increased social pension, which increased from Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 2,750 per month, the Chief Minister drew a comparison between Chandrababu Naidu, who backstabbed NTR and usurped power from him unceremoniously, and a person who pretended to be an orphan, murdered parents, and sought remission in a court of law.

While he was proud to implement his election manifesto and raise the social pension that benefits the downtrodden, including the differently abled, widows, the elderly, non-earning loners, AIDS-affected, bed-ridden people, and even dialysis patients, Naidu was drawing pleasure by holding meetings and road shows in congested areas for photo shoots and drone footage, causing stampedes and allowing people to die.

People should see the difference between his welfare governance, which provided monthly pensions ranging from Rs. 2750 to Rs.10,000 to various sections of the population, and the TDP rule, which allowed Janma Bhoomi Committees to set rates for welfare benefits.

While every section of society, including women, BCs, SCs, and STs, suffered miserably as the TDP regime, aided by its friendly media, pursued a policy of plunder, stash, and devour, almost all sections of society, including fishermen, handloom workers, toddy-toppers, and even kidney dialysis patients, were now pleased with the increased pensions on which the government has spent Rs. 62,500 crores.

He said that while the number of pensioners increased to 64 lakhs under the YSRCP government from 39 lakhs under the TDP, the monthly pension bill increased dramatically from Rs. 400 crores during the TDP rule to Rs.1765 crores now, resulting in an annual pension expenditure of Rs. 21,180 crores.

The Chief Minister claimed that the publicity-seeking Naidu, who claims to have 45 years of political experience and 14 years as CM, was not ashamed to garland the NTR statue and shed crocodile tears for the sake of votes after backstabbing him, usurping his CM chair, grabbing the NTR Trust, and imprudently confiscating his political party.

He said that the YSRCP government increased the total number of rice ration cards to 145,88,539 by issuing 44,543 new cards, the Aarogyasri cards to 1,41,48,249 by issuing 1,44,100 new cards, and the house site Pattas to 30,29,171 by issuing 14,531 new land sites through the implementation of various welfare schemes in the most transparent manner. The TDP leader was attempting to re-establish his dwindling credibility and clout by spreading false propaganda against the government with the help of his supportive media.

Observing that the state is witnessing a fierce war between the poor and the me capitalists who want to deny English medium schools and welfare measures to the oppressed, he said that he always sides with the poor and will continue his welfare schemes with God's blessings and the people's support.