*Talari Rangaiah slams Chandrababu for Neglecting Rayalaseema*

Anantapur, Oct 7:  Former MP Talari Rangaiah accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s government of neglecting Rayalaseema while concentrating development in Amaravati.

 Speaking to the media at the YSR Congress Party office in Anantapur, he alleged that institutions meant for the region had been shifted to Amaravati and demanded that they be brought back.

Rangaiah cited AIIMS, the National Law College, Lokayukta, human rights institutions, the MSME Technology Centre planned for Kopparthy, Andhra Pragathi Grameena Bank’s head office and some electronics and IT institutions in Tirupati. He said the government had also neglected medical colleges and irrigation projects begun during YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure. He recalled that five medical colleges and new districts were established under the previous government.

He questioned the government’s claim that Rs. 24,000 crore had been spent on irrigation in Rayalaseema, asking it to identify even one newly irrigated acre. He said drought and water shortages were damaging crops and challenged Chandrababu to show the benefits of the Handri-Neeva canal lining works. He alleged that Rs. 3,850 crore had gone to five firms, with another Rs. 1,600 crore planned, and questioned the award of contracts to companies linked to the ruling party.

Rangaiah urged the government to provide farmers with water, protect crops and return shifted institutions. He also demanded that Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan apologise for their remarks about the Tirumala laddu and withdraw what he called false cases against YSRCP leaders.