Former Chief Minister and YSRCP Chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy alleged that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was using arrests and the Tirumala Laddu controversy as tools to distract from critical governance failures—much like how Roman emperors introduced gladiatorial games to divert the populace from political turmoil, which eventually led to the fall of the Roman Empire.
Addressing YSRCP representatives in local bodies, he accused that the Chandrababu Naidu-led government of launching a targeted witch-hunt to discredit YSRCP leaders. Asserting that the YSRCP will be back in power for a second term, he made it clear that no one can suppress anti-incumbency.
He alleged that the Chief Minister flagged the allocation of Rs 3,000 crore worth of land to Ursa Clusters, a data company with no relevant history of its work. He deplored that land worth Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 2,000 crore was given to Lalu Group in Visakhapatnam without inviting tenders.
“We do not get one idly for Re 1 these days. Chandrababu is giving 59 acres of prime land at 99 paise per acre to Ursa Clusters, a company that operates out of a residential apartment, with no website and no phone number”, he added.
On the development of the Amaravati capital city, Jagan said the price of cement and steel in 2018 was much below the current prices, yet the value of works was Rs 36,000 crore. The value of the same works has now skyrocketed to Rs 78,000 crore.
He alleged that tenders are being given to favourable contractors. “There is large-scale corruption unfolding in the background. It is evident where the debts incurred by the government are going,” Jagan quipped.
He lamented that realizing the outrage the surge in prices could give rise to, the TDP government is trying to divert people’s attention by foisting cases against the YSRCP leaders under fake scams and arresting them.
Recalling the previous YSRCP regime, the former Chief Minister said, “With the click of a single button, money was deposited into beneficiaries’ accounts under various schemes.” He recalled that he had warned people earlier that giving power to Chandrababu Naidu would mean waking up Chandramukhi.
Jagan deplored that electricity bills have surged, liquor prices have spiked and sand is being sold at double the price under the “Free Sand Policy”.
