Ministers decry 'malicious' propaganda by Opposition

Vijayawada: In a scathing attack on the opposition, YSRCP leaders said that TDP is carrying out a 'malicious propaganda' over state's finances hinting at diluting of welfare schemes although weaker sections and the downtrodden are being benefited by the welfare initiatives.

Addressing separate press conferences on Tuesday, YSRCP leaders came down heavily on the Opposition for equating the state with crisis-ridden Sri Lanka, and creating panic among the public with mala fide intentions. The ministers reiterated that no other government has come up with a wide selection of welfare schemes that benefited lakhs of people and slammed the opposition for conspiring to spread lies on the schemes.

Deputy Chief Minister K Narayana Swamy said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy rolled out Navaratnalu to uplift the weaker sections and support the backward communities, but the opposition is unable to digest the good governance.

He asked why former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who has 40 years of political experience, had failed to launch such welfare schemes during his tenure and to implement those promises. The minister said that Naidu has been hinting that he would stop these welfare schemes if he comes to power and reiterated that people will never make such a mistake of choosing him again.

Asserting that the state government would always stand by the downtrodden and strive for their development, minister for social welfare Meruga Nagarjuna flayed TDP leaders for trying to defame the government with false propaganda.

He said that TDP leaders are criticising the state government as they are unable to digest the welfare schemes being implemented in a transparent manner. He opined that popular schemes like Amma Vodi, Rythu Bharosa, Vidya Deevena, Vasati Deevena, Cheyutha, Aasara and many more were introduced by the Chief Minister to benefit SC, ST, BC and Minorities.

Industries minister Gudivada Amarnath said that TDP leaders are plotting to cut down schemes like Amma Vodi, Rythu Bharosa, Vidya Deevena, housing for poor, free electricity, Nadu-Nedu which benefited lakhs of people covering all sections of the society.

He said that Naidu is against the poor and thus trying to demean welfare initiatives by comparing them with the Sri Lanka crisis. He recalled that the same Chandrababu had compared Andhra Pradesh with Singapore and Japan in TDP rule and pushed the state into debts. He said the state's financial woes were to be largely blamed on the TDP rule, which left its successor saddled with a pile of debts and unpaid bills.

Reiterating that Chandrababu Naidu is responsible for the financial crisis in the state, BC welfare minister Ch Venugopala Krishna said that the government stood by the backward classes despite going through financial hurdles. He said that the Chief Minister had prioritised SC, ST, BC and Minorities in all aspects and strived for their welfare, unlike Naidu who betrayed them and used as vote bank.