Tadepalli (Andhra Pradesh) [India], February 11 : YSRCP MLA Tatiparthi Chandrasekhar said the Andhra Pradesh Governor's address resembled a compilation of "yellow media" stories and was filled with falsehoods, inflated numbers, baseless allegations and deliberate distortions.
Speaking to the media at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, he mocked it as equivalent to holding a press meet for a box-office flop film and claiming record collections.
He said the Chandrababu Naidu government, which calls itself visionary, has displayed strange priorities but no real substance, and is afraid that YSRCP will corner it on public issues, which is why it is avoiding discussion on government failures in the Assembly.
Chandrasekhar said the coalition, despite having 164 members, is unable to respond to the 11 YSRCP MLAs and is therefore denying YSRCP opposition status.
He asserted that the YSRCP is ready to attend the Assembly if it is accorded Leader of the Opposition status and urged the Governor to intervene in this matter.
He further said the government talks of reconstruction and development while blaming YSRCP for destruction, even though the previous TDP government left only about Rs.100 crore in the treasury, whereas the YSRCP government successfully ran welfare and development programmes for five years and fulfilled promises without corruption.
He said that when coalition leaders are questioned, there are petrol bombs and acid attacks on leaders' houses, law and order is deteriorating, and the police system has weakened, none of which found mention in the Governor's speech.
The MLA said, "no new pensions are being granted, while about five lakh pensions were removed; no new house sites are sanctioned, while housing works were halted; fee reimbursement dues remain unpaid; Aarogyasri services are not reaching people; and farmers are not getting remunerative prices."
He added, "electricity charges were increased under the guise of a tru-up, despite pre-poll promises to reduce them."
He criticised incidents like lathi-charge on Srisailam devotees, dragging Tirumala laddu into controversy, and encroachments on temple and Waqf lands. He said medical college privatisation is pushing quality healthcare away from the poor and that false cases are being filed to harass the opposition.
He said YSRCP has already petitioned the Governor on these issues and expects action.
He accused the government of turning Amaravati into a real estate venture without any construction and of allocating valuable land to benamis in the name of investment. He said the state's governance has deteriorated badly and reiterated that YSRCP is prepared to question the government strongly in the Assembly if granted opposition status.