Chandrababu Naidu Cancelling Housing Plots for Poor: YS Jagan Launches Scathing Attack

YSRCP president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of betraying the poor by cancelling house site pattas allotted during the previous government’s tenure under the Pedalandariki Illu Scheme.

In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Jagan questioned the motive behind the move. “Did the people give you power to wield a sword against the poor? To destroy their dreams of owning a home?” he wrote, calling the cancellation of pattas “proof that Naidu is an enemy of the poor.”

YS Jagan shared the post in response to Chandrababu Naidu’s proposal to cancel registration in plots where houses have not yet been constructed. During the recent Collectors’ Conference, the Chief Minister stated that these plots can be used for the set up of MSME and industrial parks, while allotting alternative plots to beneficiaries.

Taking strong exception to Chandrababu’s proposal, the YSRCP chief slammed the ruling alliance and highlighted that it had done “zero” in housing since it formed the government.

Jagan pointed out that the TDP government had neither purchased land nor distributed pattas, or even constructed a single house. “Instead, you are shamelessly seizing registered pattas and announcing private industrial parks,” he wrote.

YS Jagan recalled that his government had distributed 31.19 lakh house site pattas across 71,800 acres, registered in the names of women beneficiaries, at a cost of ₹11,871 crore. According to him, the market value of these plots crossed ₹1.5 lakh crore. “Instead of supporting women to build homes, you are snatching away what we gave. Who gave you such authority?” he asked.

The former CM also cited the large-scale housing initiative launched under his government, which sanctioned 21.75 lakh houses and created 17,005 Jagananna colonies.

“Despite crises like COVID, we completed construction of over 9 lakh houses. On October 12, 2023, we inaugurated 7.43 lakh houses in a single day—a historic milestone. Could you ever do something like that?” Jagan questioned Naidu.

Accusing the ruling alliance of halting ongoing construction, Jagan said the decision was crushing the hopes of thousands of poor families. He alleged that during his term, beneficiaries were provided construction materials at subsidized prices, free sand, and low-interest loans, giving each household nearly ₹2.7 lakh in benefits apart from infrastructure support.

YS Jagan further charged that Naidu had tried to stall the program even earlier. “When we allotted 50,000 pattas in Amaravati, your party argued in court that it would cause social imbalance and got stays. After coming to power, you ruthlessly cancelled those pattas, betraying the poor of Vijayawada and Guntur. Was this not treachery?” he demanded.

Concluding his statement, Jagan warned of protests and legal battles. “We strongly oppose your actions. We will stand by the poor and wage legal fights, protests, and agitations. I call upon our cadre to get ready,” he declared.