Tirupati: Naidu flays YSRCP government for not raising pensions

Tirupati: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu lashed out at Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for not fulfilling his promise of raising pension after coming to power. Continuing his tirade against the ruling party on the second day of his tour to Kuppam constituency on Saturday, Naidu said that he had enhanced the Rs 200 pension by 10 times to make it Rs 2,000 during his tenure as chief minister.

"Both TDP and YSRCP promised to enhance the amount further to Rs 3,000 in 2019. Had the TDP won the elections it would have definitely fulfilled the promise whereas Jagan has deceived the people by increasing only Rs 250 till now. Thus, the beneficiaries lost Rs 12,000 per year by voting for YSRCP government," he said.

While the previous governments have given houses to poor people, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has been asking them to pay Rs 10,000 to get registrations. "Why should you pay? Tell the government that you won't. After TDP returned to power in the next elections, I will register all such houses on your names free of cost," Naidu assured.

Saying that Jagan's rule was resembling that of Thuglak, as he levied tax on garbage collection, toilets at homes, etc., Naidu called CM as Thuglak-2 or Jaglak. When people build their toilets, why should they pay tax to the government, he asked. The government has increased rates of water being supplied under NTR Sujala, Fibregrid connections, liquor among other things.

By increasing the prices of liquor heavily, the government has been selling cheap quality liquor with brands like 'Special Status', 'Railway Zone', 'Boshadike' and made it a mockery, he lamented. After Covid pandemic, the incomes of people have come down drastically but the expenditure of families has gone up steeply which has made life miserable for the poor and middle class.

The government tried to merge RESCO into discom but with the court's intervention it was stopped. TDP will see that RESCO continued as usual. Making an indirect attack on minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, Naidu said that he will face rough weather in Punganur in the next elections and challenged him overcome it.

Touching people's sentiments, he recalled that the people of Kuppam have elected him seven times with a huge majority to the Assembly and even said that he need not canvas there but to focus on the rest of the state.

He went on narrating how he had developed the backward Kuppam to make it what it is now with medical and engineering colleges, good road connectivity, hospitals and other amenities.

By merging the surrounding villages in Kuppam municipality, the government has levied a huge tax burden on the people which is difficult for them to bear. He asked the people to vote for TDP candidates in the municipal elections to teach the ruling party's money oriented politics.

Party constituency in-charge P S Munirathnam, former MLC Gounivari Srinivasulu, Naidu's PA P Manohar and other leaders took part in the road shows which were held in Lakshmimupram, Samaguttapalli, Seegalapalli, Kamathamuru, Thambiganipalli, Kottalu, Animiganipalli, etc.,