Tirupati: Sharmila lambasts YSRCP govt over rising prices

Tirupati : AP Congress Committee president YS Sharmila Reddy strongly criticised the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government for the steep rise in prices across all sectors over the past five years. She embarked on a series of roadshows and engaged with the public in GD Nellore, Palamaner and Puthalapattu constituencies of Chittoor district on Monday.

Sharmila highlighted the substantial burden imposed on the people due to exorbitant price hikes. She emphasised that the state government's actions, including a seven time increase in power tariffs, a five time rise in RTC fares and hefty taxation on essential commodities like gas, petrol, and diesel, have significantly exacerbated the challenges faced by the people. The soaring prices of essential goods have rendered them unattainable for many.

Referring to the welfare initiatives which the Chief Minister always claims, Sharmila asserted that the reality contradicts his assertions. She accused the government of offering meagre benefits with one hand while extracting more from the people through escalating taxes, including regular hikes in property taxes, making survival increasingly difficult for the common people.

Sharmila expressed concern over the dire employment situation among the youth, attributing it to the government's failure to secure Special Category Status for the state. She argued that had the state received this status, it could have facilitated the establishment of approximately 100 industries per constituency, thus creating numerous job opportunities. However, both the previous Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and the current Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy yielded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reneging on their promise of SCS.

She highlighted the neglect of agriculture in the state, noting that farmers are trapped in debt without receiving adequate compensation for crop losses or support prices. She pledged that under a Congress government, all closed sugar factories in the state would be reopened, with a renewed focus on sugarcane cultivation.

Additionally, agricultural loans up to Rs.2 lakh would be waived, and old-age pensions of Rs.4000, along with Rs 6,000 for the physically-challenged would be directly credited to bank accounts, eliminating the need for in-person distribution.

The PCC president assured the public that a Congress victory would usher in an era of welfare and development at their doorstep, reminiscent of the governance under YS Rajasekhara Reddy. She introduced the Congress candidates Deyala Ramesh Babu (GD Nellore), M S Babu (Puthalapattu) and B Siva Sankar (Palamaner), urging the electorate to support them.

She criticised YSRCP GD Nellore MLA and Deputy CM K Narayana Swamy in GD Nellore for failing to fulfil promises and N Venkatesh Goud in Palamaner for his role in the sand and gravel mafia. It's worth noting that MS Babu, the incumbent MLA of Puthalapattu, is the Congress candidate for the upcoming elections.