*Price rise crushing people under Chandrababu’s rule: Putha*

Tadepalli, August 29: YSRCP State spokesperson Putha Sivashankar said drought and Chandrababu have become “twin children,” with hardship returning every time Chandrababu Naidu comes to power. He said only 20–25% of the cultivated area has been sown due to poor rains and lack of irrigation, while farmers, women, students, employees and small earners are facing severe distress.
Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office, he said soaring prices have overturned household budgets, forcing families to spend 40–50% of their monthly income on essentials. Sugar that was around Rs.35–40 per kg during Y.S. Jagan’s tenure is now Rs.75; ordinary rice has risen from Rs.40 to Rs.65 and super-fine rice from Rs.48 to Rs.75. Tur dal and urad dal have increased from around Rs.100–105 to Rs.160, chana dal from Rs.70 to Rs.95, onions from Rs.18 to Rs.70 and dry chillies from Rs.120 to Rs.390.
He said cooking oil prices have also surged sharply. Palm oil has risen from Rs.80 to Rs.154–160 per litre, sunflower oil from Rs.90 to Rs.192, groundnut oil from Rs.140 to Rs.215 and rice bran oil from Rs.100 to Rs.163. Referring to Chandrababu’s earlier remarks on oil prices, Putha asked what answer he has now when prices have nearly doubled under his own government.
He said the burden extends beyond food, with LPG, liquor and electricity costs also rising steeply. A power bill that was once around Rs.300 is now reaching Rs.1,500–2,000 and even Rs.3,000–5,000 in some places.
Putha said the YSRCP government intervened through Civil Supplies and the Price Stabilisation Fund even during Covid, supporting consumers and farmers. He demanded immediate market intervention, subsidised essentials and price control, warning that YSRCP would take the issue to the people if the government failed to act.