YSRCP has failed on all fronts, alleges Naidu

‘COVID-19 management a disaster; no word yet on SCS to Andhra Pradesh’

Development in the State has come to a grinding halt during the one-year rule of the YSR Congress Party, alleged Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chadrababu Naidu at the inaugural session of Mahanadu, the annual conclave of the party, at the national office at Mangalagiri on Wednesday. For the first time, the TDP organised a virtual Mahanadu keeping in mind the social distancing norms.

Mr. Naidu said had the TDP been in power now, COVID-19 would not have spread like this. The government, instead of following the methods followed by States such as Kerala to check the spread of coronavirus, was looking for kickbacks even in purchase of bleaching powder, he alleged.

The TDP president devoted a major part of his speech to the “failures of the government.” “The YSRCP promised the people that it would get Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh if voted to power. What happened to the promise?” he asked.

‘Destruction spree’

The “destruction spree,” which began with the pulling down of the Praja vedika, continued till the demolition of the historical ‘three lanterns stupa’ at Vizianagaram. Arogyasethu app developer was threatened to hand over the land. “They don’t even have fear that such things will come to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Is it not jungle raj?”he asked.

In an apparent bid to woo the BCs and other sections of society that distanced themselves from the party in the recent past, the TDP supremo said the BCs had been the backbone of the party ever since its inception, but there seem to be some misconceptions among them. The party could not pay attention to the BCs though several schemes were implemented when the TDP was in power after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh

“Forget the mistakes, if any. I will take responsibility and correct the same,” he said.“We need to make a new beginning from this Mahanadu. The party has to go closer to the BCs, SCs, STs and minorities,” he added.

On Telanagana, Mr. Naidu did not go beyond saying the TDP played a pivotal role in the development of irrigation projects and Hyderabad.