Both YSRCP and TDP are equally destructive forces, alleges Congress leader Thulasi Reddy

Congress party’s chief spokesperson N. Thulasi Reddy on Sunday launched a scathing attack on both the YSRCP and TDP-led coalition government, terming them equally destructive forces.

Addressing the media in Vijayawada, Mr. Thulasi Reddy said that the YSRCP government has dragged the State into the mire of debt, crime, liquor, drugs and marijuana, while the current coalition government has made matters worse by taking record loans of ₹ 1.5 lakh crore in 16 months and imposing additional charges of ₹ 15,480 crore on electricity users.

He condemned the government’s liquor policy of “four shops and 40 belt shops per mandala” and said the menace of gambling and drugs was spreading in schools. He said the government had failed to deliver on its Super Six welfare promises, including unemployment benefits, help for girls and early retirement for marginalized groups. Mr. Thulasi Reddy said farmers are suffering due to low crop prices, high fertilizer costs and urea shortage.

The Congress leader also criticized the privatization of government medical colleges, saying it would deprive poor but successful students of medical education, adding that the Aarogyasri healthcare scheme has completely collapsed. He added that fee refund and scholarship dues have not been paid more than ₹6,400 crore.

He said that TDP’s ‘Red Book’ and YSRCP’s ‘Digital Book’ were burning the state and claimed that Congress was the only party that could bring development and prosperity in Andhra Pradesh.