Padayatra at the Right Time Will Shake Coalition Govt: YS Jagan

YSRCP president and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched a blistering attack on N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of orchestrating the biggest “credit chori” in Andhra Pradesh by hijacking the comprehensive land resurvey carried out by the YSRCP government while having no role whatsoever in its execution.

Addressing the media on Thursday, YS Jagan said the TDP leadership was blatantly misleading farmers and the public by falsely claiming ownership of historic land reforms that were conceptualised, funded and implemented entirely by the YSRCP government. He asserted that Chandrababu Naidu neither had the vision nor the intent to resolve land disputes and had merely stolen credit for a reform he once tried to sabotage.

YS Jagan recalled that the idea of a comprehensive land resurvey was born during his padayatra, when thousands of farmers narrated their suffering due to unclear titles, encroachments and decades-old disputes. These concerns were formally included in the 2019 YSRCP manifesto. After coming to power, the YSRCP government spent nearly ₹6,000 crore and deployed close to 40,000 personnel to execute one of the most ambitious land reforms in the country, issuing tamper-proof Pattadar Passbooks using cutting-edge technology—something no previous government had dared to attempt.

The reform, implemented under the Bhu Raksha and Bhu Hakku schemes, earned nationwide appreciation, including ₹400 crore from the Centre as a mark of recognition. However, after assuming office, Chandrababu Naidu allegedly snatched away the Pattadar Passbooks from farmers, merely changed their colour, reissued them, and began shamelessly claiming credit for the entire exercise. Even the ₹400 crore central assistance, YS Jagan alleged, was “knocked away” by the TDP leadership, exposing the depth of its credit theft.

He further alleged that the coalition government’s newly issued passbooks are riddled with serious errors, pushing farmers back into uncertainty and distress. Instead of strengthening the system created by the YSRCP government, Chandrababu Naidu dismantled it for political optics, he said.

YS Jagan also accused Chandrababu Naidu and his propaganda machinery of spreading fear ahead of the elections by falsely claiming that lands would be confiscated under the Bhu Raksha and Bhu Hakku schemes. He said fabricated stories were planted in the media, while IVR calls were made to intimidate farmers and urge them not to vote for the YSRCP. Such deceitful tactics, he said, yielded only short-term political gains, as people have now understood the “dirty game” played by the TDP.

He pointed out that after coming to power, Chandrababu Naidu first blamed prohibitive lands for his failures and later took a complete U-turn, exposing his opportunistic politics and lack of consistency.

Turning to the Pinnelli incident, YS Jagan said the village, which largely supports the YSRCP, was subjected to intimidation through the misuse of official machinery at the behest of the TDP leadership, forcing residents to flee. He alleged that when a woman returned to check on her house and fell ill, her husband—a Dalit—came to assist her and was brutally attacked. The man later died while undergoing treatment. Shockingly, the police initially refused to hand over the body and relented only after YSRCP leaders staged protests.

YS Jagan asserted that such blatant abuse of power and undemocratic actions would be challenged legally, and that the YSRCP would pursue all legal avenues to ensure justice for the Pinnelli villagers.

He further accused the coalition government of institutionalised corruption, citing the mushrooming of gambling dens during Sankranti, liquor outlets in every village, and commissions flowing from top to bottom. Despite sand prices doubling, revenues have not increased, raising serious questions about where the money is going. He alleged that contracts in Amaravati are being awarded at inflated rates to a select few contractors favoured by those in power.

YS Jagan noted that despite the severe challenges posed by Covid, the YSRCP government delivered strong governance across sectors, a contrast to the present regime’s alleged corruption and mismanagement.

He reiterated that there was no point in attending Assembly sessions unless Leader of the Opposition status is accorded to the YSRCP, the sole opposition party in the House. Responding to a question on his next padayatra, he said the decision would be taken at the appropriate time, when public anger against the government reaches its peak.

Watch YS Jagan Speech at Press Conference