Former Minister Buggana Rajendranath lashed out at the three-month-old coalition government for widespread public dissatisfaction and discontent, noting that frustration typically seen after five years of governance has emerged within months, and condemned the government for failing to present a budget after three months while continuously blaming the previous YSRCP government for its shortcomings.
Speaking to the media at the Somajiguda press club in Hyderabad on Monday, the former finance minister ridiculed the “Super Six” promises made by the TDP coalition government, stating that people are still waiting for the financial assistance of Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 18,000, which was promised but has not been delivered. Everywhere, people hear these same unfulfilled promises, he added, leading to growing disappointment among the public.
Buggana raised concerns about why the current government’s growing debts are being overlooked, citing figures such as Rs. 2,000 crore borrowed on June 11, Rs. 5,000 crore on July 2, Rs. 2,000 crore on July 16, Rs. 3,000 crore on July 30, Rs. 3,000 crore on August 27, and Rs. 4,000 crore on September 3, 2024. He pointed out the inconsistency, noting that while the previous government’s borrowing was heavily scrutinized, these significant loans by the coalition government have not faced similar questioning. He further noted that there has been a shift in focus towards promoting former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, creating a narrative that Naidu is responsible for any progress happening in the state, while ignoring the serious financial mismanagement of the current government.
He highlighted the YSRCP’s efforts from 2019 to 2024, particularly regarding the Polavaram project. He emphasized that the project was initiated under the leadership of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in 2005, faced delays due to the TDP government’s mismanagement from 2014 to 2019. He criticized the TDP for taking credit for the project despite the YSRCP government securing Rs. 12,911 crore in funding and working tirelessly to move the project forward. He mentioned that an additional Rs. 17,144 crore was proposed in June 2023 for Phase 1 rehabilitation for areas affected by the project’s height of 41.15 meters. He also pointed out that under the previous TDP regime, flawed agreements with the central government only covered irrigation components, neglecting critical aspects such as rehabilitation and resettlement. He accused the TDP of grossly underestimating the project’s funding requirements, agreeing to only Rs. 20,000 crore when Rs. 55,000 crore was needed.
Buggana took the opportunity to highlight YSRCP’s achievements, noting that the government successfully secured national project status for Polavaram in 2014 under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act. He said that the current coalition government, despite claiming credit for these achievements, had done little to actually progress the project. He challenged the coalition government to name any significant accomplishment in the past four months, calling their tenure a failure in delivering real benefits to the public
