YSRCP accuses Chandrababu Naidu of welfare posturing ahead of local body polls
Synopsis
With local body polls looming, YSRCP has accused Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu of recycling welfare promises he had abandoned — and of quietly removing nearly six lakh pension beneficiaries while claiming credit for schemes the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government put in place. The charge puts welfare delivery, not just rhetoric, at the centre of the upcoming electoral battle.
Key Takeaways
YSRCP General Secretary Gadikota Srikanth Reddy attacked CM Chandrababu Naidu on 16 September at the party's Tadepalli office.
YSRCP alleged the coalition government removed nearly six lakh pension beneficiaries, down from 69 lakh under the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
The party demanded pensions be paid retrospectively to all eligible beneficiaries, not merely from the date of fresh sanction.
YSRCP said Naidu's freehold land conversion announcement merely implements a GO issued under Jagan Mohan Reddy , not a new initiative.
On housing, YSRCP contrasted five lakh houses cited by Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar with 30 lakh house-site pattas given to women under the previous government.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Wednesday, 16 September launched a sharp attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of making inflated claims about welfare delivery with an eye firmly fixed on the approaching local body elections. The opposition party alleged that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition government has failed on multiple fronts and is now attempting to claim credit for schemes originally introduced under former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
YSRCP's Core Allegations
Speaking at the YSRCP Central Office in Tadepalli, party General Secretary Gadikota Srikanth Reddy said Chandrababu Naidu had 'cheated women, farmers, youth and every other section of society' by abandoning his election promises, and is now reviving those very promises only in anticipation of local body polls. He argued that the renewed welfare rhetoric was nothing but electoral positioning rather than a genuine policy commitment.
Srikanth Reddy specifically alleged that since Chandrababu assumed office, new pensions have not been sanctioned to eligible beneficiaries from weaker sections, including women. He demanded that pensions be paid retrospectively to all qualified beneficiaries and not merely from the date of sanction. 'Persons with disabilities are being forced to run from pillar to post to get their pension applications approved,' he said.
Pension Rollback Charge
The YSRCP leader contrasted the current arrangements with those under the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, when pensions were reportedly delivered at beneficiaries' doorsteps through a volunteer system. He alleged that Chandrababu has since dismantled that system and reduced the number of eligible recipients on various pretexts.
According to Srikanth Reddy, approximately 69 lakh pensioners were covered during Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure. He claimed the present government has removed nearly six lakh beneficiaries from the rolls. 'He is now asking people to apply afresh and claiming that their applications will be considered on merit. This is nothing but a drama ahead of the local body elections,' he said.
Dispute Over Assigned Lands
Srikanth Reddy also termed Chief Minister Naidu's claims regarding assigned lands as 'misleading', arguing that it was during the Jagan Mohan Reddy administration that a government order (GO) was issued to grant title deeds to rightful occupants who had held disputed assigned land for 10 years. He said Naidu's assertion that assigned lands are now being converted into freehold properties is merely the downstream result of that earlier GO, and not a fresh initiative of the coalition government.
Houses Allotment Countered
On Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar's claim that five lakh houses have been allotted to the state, Srikanth Reddy said the figure paled in comparison with the 30 lakh house-site pattas distributed to women under the Jagan Mohan Reddy government. The YSRCP argued that such selective statistics were designed to project a welfare image ahead of elections rather than reflect a substantive change in delivery.
With local body elections drawing closer, the YSRCP's broadside signals that welfare spending and its attribution will remain a central battleground in Andhra Pradesh's political contest in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
And the party that writes the definitive version will likely hold the advantage in local body elections. What is notable is the specificity of the pension charge: removing six lakh beneficiaries is a verifiable claim that the government has not yet publicly rebutted. If the numbers hold, it hands the opposition a concrete accountability line rather than the usual ideological sparring. Chandrababu's political calculus — reactivating welfare promises before a local poll cycle — is a familiar playbook in Andhra politics, but it carries electoral risk if the delivery gap between announcement and implementation is as wide as YSRCP alleges.
NationPress
16 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What has YSRCP alleged against Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu?
YSRCP has accused CM Chandrababu Naidu of making exaggerated welfare claims to court voters ahead of local body elections, while allegedly removing nearly six lakh pension beneficiaries and claiming credit for schemes introduced by the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
How many pension beneficiaries does YSRCP say were removed under Chandrababu Naidu?
According to YSRCP General Secretary Gadikota Srikanth Reddy, approximately 69 lakh pensioners were covered during Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure; he alleged the current coalition government has removed nearly six lakh beneficiaries from the rolls.
What is the dispute over assigned lands in Andhra Pradesh?
YSRCP says that Naidu's claim of converting assigned lands into freehold properties is simply the implementation of a government order issued during the Jagan Mohan Reddy administration, which granted title deeds to occupants holding disputed assigned land for 10 years. The party alleges Naidu is taking credit for his predecessor's policy ahead of polls.
What did YSRCP say about housing allotments in Andhra Pradesh?
YSRCP countered Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar's claim of five lakh house allotments to the state, arguing it was far less than the 30 lakh house-site pattas distributed to women under the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
Why are these political clashes happening now?
Andhra Pradesh is heading towards local body elections, making welfare scheme credit and delivery a key political battleground. YSRCP's press conference is part of a broader opposition strategy to challenge the ruling coalition's narrative on social welfare before votes are cast.
