People betrayed, Public wealth handed over to Private interests

Anantpur, Dec 30: YSRCP PAC member and former minister Dr. Sake Sailajanath launched a scathing attack on the Chandrababu Naidu–led coalition government, turning governance into a system of organised exploitation through what he termed “Babu Service Tax (BST)”. Addressing the media at the YSRCP office, he said every citizen buying a vehicle is now forced to pay new taxes, while GST has effectively been converted into a tool of looting. He said people had high expectations from the recent Cabinet meeting, hoping for relief in the new year, but were left deeply disappointed as no new welfare measures were announced. The government has done nothing beyond renaming YS Jagan’s welfare schemes, while neglecting fee reimbursement dues, Aarogyasri arrears, farmer subsidies and price stabilisation. Promises such as unemployment allowance, enhanced pensions, free seeds, input subsidies and support to distressed farmers were completely ignored.
Dr. Sailajanath stated that the coalition government is burdening people with higher taxes while abandoning welfare, imposing heavy electricity charges, introducing new levies, and even contemplating taxes on drinking water. Chandrababu Naidu behaves more like a representative of private corporations than a public servant, gifting land at throwaway prices to private and real estate companies while squeezing the poor and middle class. The government of pushing PPP-driven privatisation, including medical colleges, and demanded a white paper on the terms and beneficiaries of these deals. The massive public opposition, reflected in the one-crore-signature campaign against medical college privatisation, clearly shows people reject this policy, he said.
Amaravati is being used as a pretext to raise massive loans running into tens of thousands of crores, burdening people across Rayalaseema and North Andhra with future interest payments. He said “forced Amaravati” development has turned into a real estate-driven exercise, while farmers who gave up land are left betrayed, some even dying in distress. Spending thousands of crores on pumping water and luxury infrastructure while neglecting irrigation, welfare and livelihoods exposes the government’s misplaced priorities. He warned that people will not accept mortgaging the state’s future in the name of Amaravati.
Dr. Sailajanath also criticised the government for what he called theatrical politics, including ministers shedding “crocodile tears” over district reorganisation while remaining silent on public suffering. He said Cabinet meetings have become platforms to approve land allotments and benefit private entities rather than address people’s problems. He alleged that even police functioning has deteriorated, citing the DGP’s remarks about lack of vehicles as shocking and unconstitutional, and accused officials of behaving like party workers instead of upholding the Constitution.
Chandrababu Naidu has a history of “credit theft,” Dr. Sailajanath said projects like the Duggirajapatnam port are being falsely projected as new initiatives despite existing long-standing plans. The government  is repeating the same modus operandi seen in earlier scams, warning that the PPP model is being misused to transfer public assets to chosen private hands. He asserted that people are watching closely and will respond democratically.

Concluding, Dr. Sailajanath warned that the coalition government cannot continue to loot public resources under the guise of reforms, privatization and development. He said the growing public anger, the rejection of PPP-driven policies, and the failure to deliver welfare clearly show that people have lost faith in this government, and that Andhra Pradesh is heading towards a return of a people-centric YSRCP government.