CM Jagan debunks Naidu's selfie challenge, knocks him on good governance

Tirupati: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has dismissed the “selfie-challenge” posed by Telugu Desam (TD) chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu challenge as “a publicity stunt.” He said, “Naidu lacks the locus standi and moral standard to pose for selfies, toss political challenges, and place party stickers on the doors of the people in the state.”

The Chief Minister was speaking at an event to release financial assistance of Rs 658.6 crore into the accounts of 4,39,068 eligible poor women belonging to the Reddy, Kama, Arya Vysya, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Velama and other OC communities across the state, under the YSR EBC (economically backward women) Nestham scheme at Markapur in Prakasam district on Wednesday.

Addressing the public meeting, Jagan Mohan Reddy accused Naidu of posing for photos in front of Tidco houses being built by the current government. “Are you posing for pictures and issuing challenges for exploiting and defrauding people as you did through the corrupt Janma Bhoomi committees,” the Chief Minister asked Naidu.

“Is this challenge for defrauding people on waivers of DWCRA loans, Sunna Vaddi loans, and Rythu Bharosa loans with the backing of your friendly media and foster son between 2014 and 2019,” he asked.

The Chief Minister urged the people to confront the former chief minister on why he was unable to disburse money during his rule. He said, on the other hand, his YSRC government has given a whopping Rs 2,07,000 crore through DBT to lakhs of beneficiaries, and did so in complete transparency, over the last 45 months.

"Are you posing for selfies and throwing challenges just because you diverted funds that should have gone to the people," he asked Naidu, while urging the public to distinguish between the TD rule of the past and the current YSRC term.

Saying that the Opposition would stage more dramas and spread fake news with the support of its friendly media and Naidu’s foster son, the Chief Minister asked the people not to fall prey to such political gimmickry.

“While the TD had thrown its 600-page election manifesto into the dustbin, the present YSRC government considers its party manifesto as the Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran, all rolled into one, and has been implementing its election promises with a strong commitment for the people’s welfare,” he said.

Earlier, after releasing the amount to beneficiaries state-wide at the click of a button, the Chief Minister saluted the women, saying, “The life story of each woman is as great and inspiring as that of a legend. Women strive for the welfare of their family, overcoming many obstacles in domestic life.”

Jagan Mohan Reddy claimed that the government has so far released Rs 1257.04 crore under the YSR EBC Nestham, crediting Rs 30,000 each in the two tranches. He lauded the farmers who have sacrificed 13 acres for the construction of a medical college. He promised to release Rs 3 lakh each towards their development.

Meanwhile, on a request from local MLA Nagarjuna Reddy, the CM agreed to construct Ambedkar and BC Bhavans at Markapuram besides sanctioning funds for drainage works of Podili. He sanctioned Rs 2 crore for constructing a Shadi Khana in the town and Rs 50 crore for laying the 17-km pipeline for augmenting the drinking water supply from the NSP canal.

The Chief Minister in online mode laid the foundation stones for some of these works. BC welfare minister Venugopala Krishna and district collector Dinesh Kumar were present.