As usual, the YSR Congress leader also blasted Chandrababu Naidu and the 9-year "dark age" of the TDP, in her rally at Kalluru in the Kurnool district.
Drawing a contrast between the 5-year prosperous term of YSR and the preceding 9-year dark age of the TDP, YSR Congress leader and Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's sister Y S Sharmila appealed to the people to vote for the YSRCP's fan symbol to bring back the good days of welfare and development.
"You have seen the 5-year term of YSR during which all sections of people were happy as he ensured that the welfare schemes reached the people, while Chandrababu Naidu had always drifted away from the people once the elections were over, and the Congress government which took over after the death of YSR either diluted or did away with all his welfare schemes.
"The stark contrast is very much in the open, and has been the experience of a multitude of people of the state, and I appeal to you to vote for the YSRCP and strengthen the hands of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who will bring back the golden period of YSR," she said, while addressing a public meeting as part of the YSR Jana Bheri electioneering at Kalluru (in the Kurnool district) on Wednesday.
"When YSR was in power, he ensured that farmers got MSP, free power and water, and he waived the interest on loans, empowered women with the pavala vadi scheme, and provided social justice by launching the fee reimbursement scheme for students who wanted to go in for technical and higher education. Jalayagnam had been the flagship programme under which he planned to bring in one crore acres of additional land under cultivation.
"The number of houses he built in the State was a shade less than the national figure, and he provided pensions to 71 lakh persons, while the corresponding figure during the TDP term was a meagre 16 lakhs. Aarogyasri has brought quality treatment to the reach of the common people, and there were no hikes in the prices of fertilizers or seeds, or in the RTC fares or power charges. He did not impose any fresh taxes either, and yet carried out all the welfare schemes successfully, and stood out as a model Chief Minister for the country," she said.
Chandrababu Naidu lacked honesty and sincerity in his words and deeds, she alleged. He had increased the power charges 8 times in as many years, and his government had taken many anti-people decisions. He was speaking of impracticable loan waivers now, but did he ever even consider waiving off at least the interest on farm loans when he was the Chief Minister for 9 years, she asked.
Kiran Kumar Reddy, who came in as a sealed cover Chief Minister, had either diluted or shelved the welfare schemes of YSR, and burdened the people by a whopping Rs. 32,000 crores in the name of power charges and surcharges.
Naidu, instead of questioning him, had joined hands, and saved the Congress in the State and the Centre. The TDP leader had issued a whip to save the Kiran Kumar Reddy government when a no-confidence motion was moved by the YSR Congress. Naidu was also responsible for the division of the state, and the letter he had given had emboldened the Congress to bifurcate the state, she stated.
Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, on the other hand, had opposed the Congress policies, and took up dharnas for the causes of students, farmers and weavers, and to keep the state united, she said. He was a leader with credibility and vision who could steer the state towards development, she claimed, and appealed to the people to vote for the YSRCP fan symbol to bring back the golden era of YSR. (INN)