Chandrababu Naidu failed to get anything for Andhra Pradesh in Union Budget, alleges YSRCP’s Botcha Satyanarayana

YSRCP leader and MLC Botcha Satyanarayana addressing a press conference in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: V. RAJU

YSRCP MLC Botcha Satyanarayana alleged that the coalition government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has failed to secure significant allocations for Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget which was announced on February 1.

“Mr. Naidu failed to garner enough sops for Andhra Pradesh when compared to someone like Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose party is numerically weaker than the TDP in the Lok Sabha with only 12 MPs as opposed to TDP’s 16,” the YSRCP leader said, alleging that Mr. Naidu has always placed his own interests above that of the State.

“Barring the quote of playwright Gurajada Appa Rao, there was no mention of Andhra Pradesh in the Budget,” Mr. Satyanarayana said, adding that it was surprising to see Mr. Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan welcoming the budget instead of criticising it.

“The Union Government has announced 75,000 medical college seats. Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who initiated the process of setting up 17 medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh, had completed work on five, and work was in progress on the remaining ones. Mr. Naidu stalled the works and returned the seats and agreed for a PPP model which is a clear denial of right to education for the weaker sections,” Mr. Satyanarayana alleged.

The former Minister said that it would be a “huge mistake” on Mr. Naidu’s part if he agreed for a reduction in the height of the Polavaram project. “If the project’s height is reduced, it would be a huge loss to Rayalaseema and Uttarandhra region,” the former Minister claimed.

“Mr. Naidu’s inability to implement his ‘Super Six’ promises, coupled with his fiscal indiscipline, shows that he has no concern for people’s welfare and development of the State,” Mr. Satyanarayana said.

When asked about the resignation of V. Vijaya Sai Reddy from the YSRCP, Mr. Satyanarayana said it was his personal decision.