AMARAVATI: Telugu Desam Party National President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday slammed the ruling YCP leaders for 'luring and looting' by collecting commissions from the gullible poor families in the name of distribution of free house sites.

He said different rates were being fixed at Rs. 30,000, Rs. 60,000 and up to Rs. 1.5 lakh to sanction these house sites while lesser amounts would be collected only if the beneficiaries have the blessings of YCP local leaders. With this, the YCP went down in history as the only party which has resorted to wholesale corruption even in welfare programmes aimed at improving living conditions of the poor families.

Mr. Naidu, in a series of tweets, strongly objected to YCP leaders' looting spree by collecting different amounts of commissions in different villages and areas without the least sympathy for the people who are already suffering on account of Coronavirus lockdowns. In every assembly segment, hundreds of crores worth scams were taking place in the name of house sites. A fact-finding committee has reported that Rs. 400 Cr fraud was committed in the 'aava' (low-lying) lands acquisition.

The TDP chief said lands not worth even Rs. 7 lakh per acre were being bought by the Government at Rs. 45 lakh to Rs. 70 lakh with the margin amounts going into the pockets of YCP leaders there. The total land acquisition for house sites was turned into a massive scam. On the other hand, the houses already completed during the TDP regime were not handed over to the beneficiaries but they were converted into COVID quarantine centres out of sheer political vengeance.

Mr. Naidu said that the previous TDP Government sanctioned 29.52 lakh houses and completed 9.1 lakh houses while house warming was done in three phases for 8 lakh houses. Another 20.41 lakh houses were in various stages of completion. At that time, TDP's 'mass house-warming' programme became a model for the entire country. Also, the TDP rule gave house sites to 4.02 lakh people in over 7,475 acres. Lakhs of house site pattas were given in Visakhapatnam and other parts of North Coastal Andhra and also Rayalaseema. But, all these benefits and houses were stopped to poor people reflecting YCP's unchecked political harassment at every step.

AMARAVATI: TDP former MLA Yerapatineni Srinivasa Rao on Thursday accused the Jaganmohan Reddy government of paralysing and incapacitating Andhra Pradesh in all aspects by implementing anti-people and backward policies in the last one year.

He asserted that Jagan's rule mirrored how an administration would look like if a person with a criminal record and nature comes to power to rule the people.

Addressing a virtual press conference here, the TDP leader deplored that under Jagan rule, doctors in the state were going to jail while IAS and IPS officers were standing in front of the courts. The teachers, who should mould the future of young generations, were doing duties at the liquor shops while farmers were carrying out protests over loss of crops. Construction workers, coolies, artisans, weavers, tailors and others were sleeping with empty stomachs for lack of food.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao said the ruling party leaders were making personal and baseless comments against the TDP only to divert the attention of the people from the serious blows given by the courts to the AP Government. YCP MLA Ambati Rambabu was talking about the age of Chandrababu Naidu. Can Rambabu climb the steps of Tirupati temple along with Chandrababu Naidu. The censures in the courts were clear evidence of inefficiencies and failures of the YCP.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao hit back at the comments of YCP leaders, saying that Lokesh has no experience like Jagan Reddy to form suitcase companies in order to loot the public money and amass illegal wealth. He strongly warned that if Jagan Reddy goes to jail like Sasikala of Tamil Nadu, then the so-called YCP powerful leaders would become orphans overnight.

The former MLA criticised the YCP, saying that all those leaders surrounding Jagan Reddy now were only opportunists. Dharmana Prasada Rao, Botsa Satyanarayana and others once severely criticised CM Jagan. If YCP speaks needless things about Chandrababu and Lokesh, the TDP would tear the ruling party leaders apart in future. In America, President Trump had to go into a bunker because of raging protests from the people there. A time would come soon that AP people's wrath and agitations would drive Jagan Reddy into a bunker.

AMARAVATI: Telugu Desam Party National President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday blamed the Jaganmohan Reddy Government's 'inefficient and atrocious' rule for the steep decline in the overall growth rate of Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP chief recalled how Jagan Reddy's chaotic regime has driven away investments not only from AP but from India as a whole. YCP leaders' atrocities and highhanded behaviour have made even the national media refer to Andhra Pradesh as 'Bihar of South' in terms of lawlessness. Some were even calling YCP unlawful activities as 'Government terrorism' in AP.

Mr. Naidu said in a tweet here AP witnessed rapid strides in development under the previous TDP rule though there was Rs. 16,000 Cr deficit budget due to State bifurcation. Successively for five years, the State recorded double digit growth rate and became a favourite destination for both domestic and global investments.

Stating that TDP turned AP into a number 1 state, the former CM said his five-year rule helped the State get 667 awards for its brilliant performance in different sectors. From that peak level performance and achievements, Andhra Pradesh has now fallen down and being mocked nationally and internationally for its 'useless and helpless' regime.

Mr. Naidu deplored that for the sake of their shares and collections, the ruling YCP leaders have harassed and chased away the investors. Once, AP used to be a major attraction at the Davos Economic Forum but now it is seen as no safe haven because of government harassment and bullying victimisation.

The TDP chief asserted that the people would be safe and happy only if the rulers behave responsibly in accordance with the laws of the land. The State as a whole would become a 'laughing stock' in the eyes of the world just for the inabilities and inefficiencies of the elected present day rulers.

Mr. Naidu tweeted a video which highlighted contradictions between Chandrababu's development-centric rule and the present anti-growth and anti-investment regime of Jaganmohan Reddy. Thanks to vision and statesmanship of Mr. Naidu, the World Bank announced Rs. 3,324 Cr financial support to Amaravati Capital City construction but the global bank has withdrawn from the massive project after Jagan Reddy took over the reins of the government. Also, the Asia Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB) objected to Jagan Reddy's autocratic reviews and withdraw Rs. 1,380 Cr support to different projects which were in various stages of construction and development.

The video recalled how multi-national companies made a beeline to make investments in Andhra Pradesh on seeing the manner in which Chandrababu Naidu was shaping the State by making it number one in 'Ease of Doing Business'. After 2019, the scene has reversed and even the national media passed critical remarks how a prime accused in money laundering cases became Chief Minister for Andhra Pradesh.

AMARAVATI: Former Chief Minister and AP Opposition Leader N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday demanded the YCP Government to disclose how much public money it had wasted for applying its party flag colours to the panchayat offices and government buildings in Andhra Pradesh till now.

He termed the latest Supreme Court order as evidence of the adamant attitude and flagrant violations of the Constitution and the rule of law by the Jagan Reddy Government.

In a statement here, the TDP chief accused the Government of committing one violation after another in utter indifference to even the courts' orders for the sake of seeing its party colours on public premises. First, they applied three colours of the ruling party. When the High Court ordered for changing the colours, the Government approached the Supreme Court which upheld the High Court order. Again, the Government came back to the High Court and applied a fourth colour insignificantly at the bottom.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu pointed out that the YCP Government dragged on the issue with its misinterpretations and untenable arguments in the courts. At one point, the High Court had taken a serious view and ordered the Government to remove all the four colours. Even then, there was no compliance of the court's order. The court even ordered for the appearance of the Chief Secretary, Secretary and the Commissioner. Now, the Supreme Court ordered for the removal of the four colours within four weeks. All this was because of the dull-witted and thoughtless policies of the ruling party that reached a peak now.

Mr. Naidu deplored that crores of public money was being wastefully spent for implementation of useless programmes being taken up by the YCP. For arguing in the Amaravati Capital City case, the Government paid Rs. 5 Cr to the advocate. It was not known how much they had spent for the colours' cases in different courts. It was evident that hundreds of crores public funds were spent for applying three colours and then adding one more colour. Now, additional expenditure would be there for removing these colours in accordance with the latest court orders.

The TDP chief demanded that all the expenditure already made and to be made by the Government on colours should be recovered from the ruling YCP and those officers who were blindly carrying out its irrelevant orders. The people of AP should not be punished for the dumb mistakes that were being made by the ruling party. It is pitiable that the Government and officials were facing contempt issues in both the High Court and the Supreme Court.

Mr. Naidu asked whether CM Jaganmohan Reddy had taken One Chance from the voters in the 2019 election only to waste public money on programmes like YCP colours on public offices and to make the state bankrupt. The inexperience and inefficiency of YCP Government was evident from how it has been making countless mistakes in order to cover one wrong deed. The ruling party's non-stop failures in all aspects were proving to be a big threat to the future of Andhra Pradesh.

The former Chief Minister said no leader has ever thought of applying his party colours on government buildings in the country's history till now. This Government has no minimum understanding that the law would not accept such party colours considering the fact that people cutting across political and social affiliations visit to avail services at government offices.

AMARAVATI: Telugu Desam Party MLC Buddha Venkanna on Tuesday asserted that the people of Andhra Pradesh were totally disillusioned and dissatisfied with the demolitions, cancellations, atrocities and destructions being carried out by the Jaganmohan Reddy Government in the first year of its rule itself.

The TDP leader advised CM Jagan to himself take up in-congnito visits to find out how badly people were discussing about his one year rule at liquor shops, grocery stores, temples and schools.

Addressing a virtual press conference here, Mr. Venkanna accused YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy of having resorted to forcible collections and land grabs thereby disturbing an otherwise peaceful Visakhapatnam city. The entire soft-spoken population in North Coastal Andhra are now in an agitated and frightened state following the atrocities by Vijayasai and his gangs. They were launching raids on the port city and surrounding areas like swarms of locusts that were destroying farmers' crops in the country now.

The TDP MLC said it was at the instance of Mr. Vijayasai Reddy only that the YCP social media miscreants have not spared even the courts and judges and targetted them with their derogatory posts. The YCP MP was now committing another offence by defending the highly objectionable actions of his party social media activists in defaming and disrespecting the courts in a brazen manner. Vijayasai Reddy no longer deserves to continue as a Member of Parliament because of his open support to the persons who undermined the courts now.

Mr. Venkanna deplored that instead of trying to correct its mistakes, the YCP was sending out indications that it would protect anybody who would embarrass the judges if they give orders against their government and party. Unfortunately, Vijayasai Reddy who was on bail was interested only in making objectionable posts against Naidu and Lokesh rather than serve the people's cause.

The MLC said ruling party MLA Brahma Naidu's comments were true as regards the illegal mining and transportation of the sand which was happening not just in Guntur district alone but taking place all over the state. The YCP leaders were collecting Rs. 1 lakh per lorry of sand and all this was being transported to neighbouring states while people were suffering for lack of sand in AP.