*Chandrababu a curse on Rayalaseema: Roja*

Nagari, Oct 7: Former Minister R.K. Roja said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had repeatedly failed Rayalaseema and was now trying to appropriate development undertaken during the tenures of YS Rajasekhara Reddy and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Speaking at her camp office in Nagari, she said the coalition was promoting slogans such as “Rising Rayalaseema”, “Horticulture Hub” and “Fruit Bowl” because, according to her, TDP and Jana Sena were worried about the approaching local-body elections.
Roja said Rayalaseema was facing severe drought, migration, crop losses and unemployment, while irrigation funds and institutions were being diverted towards Amaravati. She questioned what new irrigation project Chandrababu had completed or how much additional ayacut he had created despite claiming expenditure of Rs. 24,000 crore. She also questioned his silence over Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s statements on the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme and said the project had been sacrificed at the cost of Rayalaseema’s water interests.
She said YS Jagan had taken Krishna water to Kuppam, sanctioned a Rs. 480-crore drinking-water project for Pulivendula and implemented the nearly Rs. 700-crore Uddanam drinking-water scheme, while the coalition was taking credit for projects initiated earlier. She also criticised the government over unemployment allowance promises and said Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan should press Chandrababu to address the problems of Rayalaseema youth.
On the Vivekananda Reddy murder case, Roja said investigative and judicial proceedings had not established any role for YS Jagan and criticised the continued political campaign against him. She similarly said the CBI supplementary chargesheet in the Tirumala laddu case did not establish the use of animal fat in the ghee supplied for prasadam and demanded that Chandrababu, Pawan Kalyan and Home Minister Anitha apologise publicly for politicising the issue.
Roja further charged that the coalition’s liquor policy had revived belt shops and syndicates, while volunteers delivering welfare were removed and replaced by paid political influencers. She demanded the resignation of Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan and a public apology to Lord Venkateswara, YS Jagan and YSRCP.