Jagan launches first attack on Chandrababu Naidu's bastion

Amaravati, Sep 23: (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday launched a direct attack on Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu's bastion Kuppam with a public meeting. It was Jagan Mohan Reddy's first public meeting in Kuppam, the Assembly constituency in Chittoor district held by Naidu since 1989. Aiming to win all 175 Assembly seats in the 2024 elections, Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has already started working on its plans to wrest Kuppam from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo and former Chief Minister. The YSRCP is upbeat after its series of victories in Kuppam in gram panchayat, ZPTC and MPTC elections and municipal polls and is now aiming to wrest the seat represented by Naidu for seven consecutive terms. Last year, the YSRCP bagged Kuppam Municipality along with four ZPTCs and 62 out of 65 MPTCs, and 75 out of 89 gram panchayats in the constituency. The Chief Minister told Kuppam people that if they elect Member of Legislative Council Bharath in the next elections, he would make him a minister. He noted that the Bharath has been part of the implementation of the schemes in the constituency. At the massive public meeting, he slammed Chandrababu Naidu over failing to solve the problems of the constituency. "Your MLA (Chandrababu Naidu) is local to Hyderabad and non-local to Kuppam. He was a Kuppam MLA for 33 years in his 45-year political career. Even though he was CM for 14 years, Chandrababu could not solve the drought in Kuppam," he said. Listing out the development done in Kuppam, the Chief Minister said water came to Kuppam canal, municipality status to Kuppam, and a revenue division was given by his government while Chandrababu Naidu, who was Chief Minister for 14 years before could not take up any development activity, and is known for his "backstabbing" politics. From Rs 6.5 crore Reddipalli Ramkuppam power substation to Railway under bridge, to integrated office complex to sanctioning of Rs 20 crores to Dravida University all were done by this government, he said. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that the YSR Pension Kanuka amount would be hiked to Rs 2,750 from Rs 2,500 effective from January 2023. He reiterated that it will reach the promised figure of Rs 3,000 soon. At the public meeting, he provided financial assistance to eligible women to create livelihood opportunities and deposited of Rs 4,949.44 crore into the bank accounts of 26,39,703 beneficiaries across the State under YSR Cheyutha scheme. The government has been at the forefront of empowering the women and making them self-reliant and providing financial assistance to beneficiaries belonging to SC, ST, BC, and minorities in the age group of 45 to 60 years, he said. "Total financial assistance provided till date by our government under YSR Cheyutha is Rs 14,110.62 crore, including the present financial assistance of Rs 4,949.44 crore. In the past 3 years each individual beneficiary received total assistance of Rs 56,250 at the rate of Rs 18,750 per annum on a regular basis," he said. He also highlighted that Rs 19,617 crore were disbursed under Amma Vodi to 44.50 lakh beneficiaries by the present government. Under YSR Asara Rs 12,758 crore were given to 78.74 lakh beneficiaries while Rs 3,615 crore were given under the YSR Zero Interest scheme. In all, the government has given Rs 3.12 lakh crore under DBT and non-DBT of which Rs 2.39 lakh crore was given only to women.