Budget delay 'exposes' CM Naidu’s ‘Super Six’ failures: Jagan

Amaravati: YSRCP Chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of "presenting a delayed budget" with just four months left in the fiscal year to avoid scrutiny over unfulfilled poll promises.

Addressing a press conference at his residence in Tadepalli, Reddy stated that the budget had been delayed by nearly eight months, with the state relying on two consecutive vote-on-account budgets in the meantime.

"Why was the budget delayed for so long? Because presenting it would expose Chandrababu Naidu's deception, and people would start questioning the fate of the 'Super Six' promises," he alleged.

The "Super Six" schemes, a set of poll promises in the TDP's 2024 manifesto, include a Rs 1,500 monthly pension for women aged 19 to 59, the creation of 20 lakh jobs or a Rs 3,000 monthly unemployment allowance, and free bus travel for women.

Other promises include Rs 15,000 annually for each school-going child and Rs 20,000 per year as financial aid for farmers.

Reddy described Naidu as a "lying drama artiste" and claimed that the "budget papers highlighted organised misinformation campaigns led by the TDP".

He charged the TDP with using "yellow media" to spread "repeated lies", which were amplified by Naidu and his associates, including Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, whom the YSRCP leader referred to as Naidu's "foster son."

The former CM also defended borrowing within the parameters set by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, asserting that it was a "common practice among states".

Further, Reddy alleged that, based on the NDA government's budget estimates, the previous YSRCP government, which ruled from 2019 to 2024, "had left a debt of Rs 6.46 lakh crore, countering allegations that the debt had risen to R 14 lakh crore".

"They (the NDA alliance) have been spreading falsehoods about the financial discipline of our government, which performed better than the TDP government (2014-2019) on all fronts. We achieved this despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, demonstrating our sincerity and transparency," Reddy said.

Alleging that the "current government is discouraging potential investors," Reddy claimed that industrialist Sajjan Jindal, who is ready to establish a 5 MT steel plant in Kadapa, "is being threatened".

When asked about his sister, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila, the YSRCP leader dismissed the topic, stating that there was "no need to talk about her" as she "represents a party with only a 1.7 per cent vote share in the state".

Inputs from PTI