Tadepalli, Dec 8: Addressing the media at the party central office in Tadepalli, YSRCP Panchayat Raj Wing State President Vennapusa Ravindra Reddy strongly condemned the coalition government for ruthlessly destroying the livelihoods of the poor by withholding MGNREGS wages for nearly six months. He revealed that since July 27, Rs. 381 crore worth of wages due to lakhs of workers have been kept pending, even as 18.63 lakh job cards belonging to 7.48 lakh families were arbitrarily removed across the state. Ravindra Reddy questioned Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan’s credibility, asking how a leader who tells workers not to call themselves “labourers” can remain silent while their wages are denied. He criticised Pawan Kalyan for showing more urgency in increasing movie ticket rates than in ensuring timely wage payments for the poorest of the poor.
Ravindra Reddy said that under the previous YSRCP government, workers received full employment and timely wages, whereas the Chandrababu–Pawan coalition has not only failed to provide work but also crippled the MGNREGS system by reducing over 5.5 crore person-days, resulting in a loss of Rs. 435.14 crore to poor families. He accused the government of selectively retaining job cards only for those aligned with the TDP and using intimidation tactics ahead of local body elections. The state’s descent—from failing to supply even urea to ruining employment opportunities, reflects the government’s complete disregard for backward and marginalised communities.
He also slammed Pawan Kalyan for indulging in credit theft by projecting long-pending promotions of MPDOs to DDLVOs, implemented during YS Jagan’s tenure, as his own achievement, merely by altering designations to DDVOs. This shallow credit-seeking, applauded by ministers and the Speaker, has become a subject of public ridicule. Ravindra Reddy demanded to know whether changing a title amounts to real promotion or improves salaries, exposing the deceit behind the coalition’s publicity stunts.
Calling on the government to demonstrate real sincerity towards employees and workers, he demanded the immediate release of pending DA, PRC, and IR, along with all MGNREGS wage arrears. He warned that a government that oppresses labourers, erases their job cards, and steals their livelihoods has no moral right to talk about governance or social justice.
*Chandrababu has no moral right to speak on violence or ethics*
