People still remember YSR’s welfare schemes, says Roja

Vijayawada: YSRCP MLA R K Roja said people of Andhra Pradesh still remember the welfare schemes implemented by former Chief Minister Dr Rajasekhara Reddy in the state.

She, along with other YSRCP leaders, paid rich tributes to Rajasekhara Reddy to mark his 69th birth anniversary at the state party office here on Sunday. The party leaders cut the cake and garlanded the portrait of the departed leader.

Speaking on the occasion, Roja recalled that Rajasekhara Reddy had introduced many welfare schemes like 104, 108 services, fee reimbursement to the students, Arogyasri and many others. She said the people of two Telugu states were remembering the services of the former Chief Minister.

She said Dr Rajasekhara Reddy was a brand and well known for trust and reliability. She said no other Chief Minister in the country had introduced as many welfare schemes as Dr YSR and many Chief Ministers in the country had implemented his schemes.

“Though he is not present here physically, he is in the hearts of the people,” she said. Referring to the TDP rule, she said the TDP government had failed to fulfil pre-poll promises. She alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was making empty promises on construction of capital Amaravati and misleading the people by saying that the capital city would be built like Singapore and London.

She alleged that the Chief Minister was passing time by giving wide publicity on his rule. Speaking on YS Jagan’s Praja Sankalpa Yatra, she said there was a huge response from the people to the padayatra and people in all districts were walking, along with the YSRCP chief.

She took objection to the statement made by Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, YSRCP president Jaganmohan Reddy and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan belong to one team.

She pointed out that Chandrababu Naidu had teamed up with BJP leaders for many years. She wondered why Naidu was blaming the YSRCP of colluding with the BJP leaders.

Meanwhile, hundreds of leaders, who are aspiring tickets for the Assembly polls and municipal polls, celebrated the birth anniversary of YSR with their followers and party supporters.

Compared to the past few years, the celebrations were held on a grand manner this year in the city. Former MLAs, municipal corporators, division-level leaders and others paid floral tributes to the former Chief Minister. Rallies were taken out in different parts of the city to exhibit their strength in view of the Assembly polls.

It is a common practice in the city that political leaders during the important events like Independence Day, Republic Day take out rallies with their supporters and hoist the national flags to show their strength.

Former MLAs Malladi Vishnu, Velampalli Srinivas, Vangaveeti Radhakrishna and many other leaders with their supporters took part in birth anniversary celebrations with their supporters.

Similarly, many division-level leaders, who are in the race for the tickets in VMC polls, too, paid tributes to YS Rajasekhara Reddy and recalled his services. Free meals served to the poor and cake cuttings were organised across the city. Leaders recollected the welfare schemes launched during the regime of Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy.