Only Opposition talks about Bill Gates and bullet train, I’m with poor: Andhra CM Jagan Reddy

“Only the Opposition talks about things like Microsoft, Bill Gates and bullet trains. But I remain grounded… My journey is with the poor. My battle is against those who rob the poor..,” the chief minister said. “A society can become strong only if poor families are financially strong. The state will do good only if all the regions and all groups are strengthened. This is the principle I believe in. This is my economics and the politics and history that I have learnt from my father.”

TDP state president and MLA K Atchannaidu said the government had misled the governor to say in his first address to the legislature’s joint session on Tuesday that the state was making remarkable progress in the agricultural, industrial and service sectors. “It is blatant lie. By making the governor lie on the floor of the Assembly, the state government has insulted and lowered the stature of the governor. People are suffering under YSRCP rule,’’ he said.

Jagan said his government had fulfilled 98 per cent of the promises made in his party’s election manifesto. “Our four-year rule brought transparency in governance. Through direct benefits transfer, my government has disbursed Rs 1.97 lakh crore to beneficiaries. We will also increase the pension to senior citizens from Rs 2,700 to Rs 3,000 per month. Only then will we go to the people to seek votes in 2024,’’ Jagan said.

YSRCP rebel MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, who was suspended along with the TDP legislators, had accused YSRCP leaders of tapping his phones. He protested outside that he was not allowed to speak inside the House.

After the protesting TDP members were removed from the Assembly, the chief minister said his government’s welfare schemes had reached the people irrespective of caste, religion, region and party. “We have brought in a great change in the political system and proved that the election manifesto is a holy book. We have fulfilled 98.5 per cent of the promises in the manifesto,” Jagan said.

Talking about the volunteer system at the grassroots, the chief minister said that about 600 services were being provided in village and ward secretariats and that services had become more accessible after new districts were carved out.

“Development is when today is better than yesterday and tomorrow is better than today. Through DBT, the government has disbursed Rs 1,97,473 crore to the beneficiaries. They benefited directly without the involvement of bribes, and we are working on values and reliability in the state,” Jagan said.