Andhra Pradesh’s political landscape is heating up as Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu continues his attacks on his predecessor Jagan Mohan Reddy. On Friday, Naidu released a white paper alleging that the YSRCP’s five-year rule resulted in a revenue loss of up to Rs 7 lakh crore, significantly damaging the state’s economy.
Naidu claimed the state’s debt rose from Rs 3.75 lakh crore in March 2019 to Rs 9.74 lakh crore by June 2024. In his ongoing series of white papers, Naidu detailed the state’s financial decline, blaming the YSRCP’s governance from 2019 to 2024. He previously highlighted law and order issues and the prevalence of marijuana during Reddy’s tenure, claiming Andhra Pradesh had become a ganja capital.
Naidu accused the previous government of causing significant losses due to changes in the liquor policy, illegal sand mining, and poor agricultural growth. He also criticized the cancellation of the Amaravati city project and the Polavaram project, alleging these decisions hurt investor confidence and damaged the state’s reputation.
The released white papers aim to provide citizens with a clear understanding of the previous government’s mismanagement. Naidu’s “chargesheet” against Jagan Mohan Reddy includes:
– Increased power costs due to short-term purchases, adding Rs 12,250 crore in expenses.
– Loss of Rs 7,000 crore due to illegal sand mining.
– Loss of Rs 9,750 crore from looted mineral wealth.
– Decline in agricultural growth from 16% (2014-2019) to 10.3% (2019-2024).
– Loss of Rs 1.29 lakh crore in the power sector.
– Reduced per capita income growth from 13.2% (2014-2019) to 9.5% (2019-2024).
Meanwhile, Jagan Mohan Reddy retaliated against Chandrababu Naidu, claiming that the chief minister is refraining from submitting a regular budget because he will be forced to include election pledges in it. The former chief minister claimed that Naidu lacks the courage to present a regular budget, which is usually for 12 months. Naidu recently said in the assembly that the state budget would be submitted after two months due to ‘financial problems’.
“If he presents a regular budget then he has to show the fake promises he had made during polls in the regular budget. If those super six promises do not reflect, he (Naidu) thought people will open their mouths,” stated Reddy.
He would have to incorporate his “Super Six” promises, which include financial aid for women, jobs for youth, free bus travel for women, cooking gas cylinders, financial assistance for school children, and support for farmers.
Jagan staged a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against alleged political violence in Andhra Pradesh, receiving support from several INDIA bloc members and AIADMK leaders. The YSRCP, which is not a member of the INDIA bloc and has supported the Modi government on specific issues, saw its workers allegedly attacked. Supporters included Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, TMC’s Nadimul Haq, and AIADMK’s M Thambidurai.
Reddy questioned if the state is progressing or regressing 52 days after the election results, alleging rampant atrocities such as murders, rapes, and asset destruction. He claimed that victims were being targeted while the police remained passive under the TDP-led government, which includes the BJP and Janasena.
Naidu released a white paper on the previous government’s excise policy and announced a forthcoming CID probe into irregularities in the Excise Department during the YSRCP rule, alleging a loss of Rs 18,860.51 crore due to policy changes after the YSRCP came to power in 2019. Naidu further accused Reddy’s administration of misrule, leading to resource exploitation, anti-industrial policies, changes in the capital city policy, and issues with the Polavaram project.
