YSRCP stages protest

Vijayawada: The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) staged a massive protest rally at Gandhi Nagar here on Wednesday under the leadership of former MLA and Central Constituency Coordinator Malladi Vishnu, opposing the privatisation of government medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh.

Vishnu, Deputy Mayor Sailaja Reddy, and YSRCP Students’ Wing State Working President Ravi Chandra, along with local corporators, submitted a memorandum to the MRO, demanding that the government withdraw the privatisation proposal immediately.

Addressing the gathering, Vishnu condemned Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s decision as “anti-poor and disastrous.” He said that while YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had increased medical seats from 2,360 to 2,550, the coalition government’s decision would now deprive students of nearly 2,500 seats. He questioned how a government that borrowed Rs 2.36 lakh crore in 17 months could claim it lacked Rs 1,000 crore to run medical colleges.

Vishnu criticised the state of public healthcare, citing the death of a patient at Vizag GGH due to a 12-hour power outage, injuries to students at Eluru Medical College, and non-functional ventilators at Vijayawada Government Hospital. He demanded that the government immediately revoke the privatisation move and protect access to medical education for underprivileged students.

Several YSRCP leaders, corporators, and activists participated in the rally.

Deputy Mayor Sailaja Reddy, State Joint Secretary Gunde Sundar Paul, corporators Kukkala Anita, Kondayigunta Malleswari, Janareddy, Sarvani Murthy, Isarapu Devi, Shaheen Sultana, Alampuru Vijay, Yerragorla Tirupatamma, and local leaders Kambham Kondala Rao, Konda Mahesh Reddy, Pillutla Vamsi, Bhogadi Murali, Yesudas, Ratna Rao, Banka Babi, Donepudi Srinivas, Jhansi Rani, and Triveni Reddy, and others participated.