Andhra ‘on sale’ under CM Naidu: YSRCP's Appalaraju

Amaravati, Sep 13 (PTI) Senior YSRCP leader Seediri Appalaraju on Saturday alleged that the TDP-led government has put Andhra Pradesh ‘on sale’ by pursuing a privatisation policy, vowing to oppose it unless the government rolls back its decision.

Dismissing the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model as ‘pay per project’, the former minister accused the NDA alliance government of giving away hospitals to private parties "steeped in corruption".

“Will fight the privatization move tooth and nail unless the government rolls back its decision… and all such anti-poor decisions would be reversed after YS Jagan Mohan Reddy returns to power,” said Appalaraju in a YSRCP press release.

Recently, the N Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government had decided to develop 10 new medical colleges under Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Information and Public Relations Minister K Parthasarathy had said that these 10 medical colleges were part of the 17 colleges sanctioned during the erstwhile YSRCP government by the Centre.

According to Appalaraju, Naidu is renowned for his privatisation policies. He has been handing over healthcare, roads and tourism department to private players for "kickbacks".

“Putting all infrastructure into private hands reflects the inefficiency of the government and its greed for kickbacks,” he said.

Calling Naidu a ‘vindictive person’, he alleged that the TDP supremo refused to accept the allocation of seats to Pulivendula medical college.

Asserting that they would not allow medical colleges initiated by former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to be privatised, Appalaraju said the terms such as PPP, disinvestment and Swiss Challenge only expose the alleged deceit of the NDA alliance government.

Criticising the ministers who defended the PPP model, Appalaraju said such measures will keep quality healthcare and medical education out of reach of the poor.

After medical colleges, he warned that privatisation would be extended to all infrastructure, rendering the role of government "irrelevant".

“Chandrababu did not bring in a single medical college and wants to give away the hospitals to his favoured few on a platter as he had given prime land in Vizag at throwaway prices,” he said.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Health Minister and BJP leader Satya Kumar Yadav wrote a letter to opposition leader Reddy, accusing him of spearheading a malicious campaign against the government’s proposal to develop some new government medical colleges (GMCs) in PPP mode.

Though democracy is all about dialogue, debate and discussion, Yadav alleged that YSRCP does not seem to have faith in it and instead is ‘lying’.

“Somehow, you (Jagan), your party and its various organs do not seem to be having any faith in such democratic functioning. Instead, lies, more lies and relentless lying seem to be the working principle of you and your associates,” added Yadav. PTI STH ROH