Senior Telugu Desam Party leader and former Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has launched a strong attack on YSR Congress Party Chief Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy over his proposed padayatra in Andhra Pradesh. Known for his sharp criticism of Jagan, Yanamala reacted to the announcement made during a YSRCP leaders’ meeting in Eluru district and questioned the very intent behind the move.
Yanamala said the proposed padayatra is not about public welfare but about Jagan’s personal ambition to return to power. He alleged that the yatra is driven by the desire for the chief minister’s chair and not by any concern for people’s problems. According to him, Andhra Pradesh has already paid a heavy price for allowing Jagan to govern.
The former finance minister claimed that five years of Jagan’s rule pushed the state back by nearly two decades. He stated that the YSRCP government was characterised by corruption, large-scale plunder, organised crime, and serious failures in maintaining law and order. Yanamala stated that people across the state faced severe hardships during that period and are still recovering from its impact.
He further said that the name of Jagan itself reminds people of rising prices, zero development, and an economy pushed into distress. Yanamala accused Jagan of displaying authoritarian tendencies and running the administration in a rigid and intolerant manner. He alleged that democratic institutions were weakened and dissent was not tolerated under YSRCP rule.
Taking his criticism a step further, Yanamala compared Jagan’s style of functioning to that of historical dictators, saying such leadership traits have no place in a democratic system. He asserted that the people of Andhra Pradesh have already made up their minds and would never place their trust in Jagan or the YSRCP again.
Yanamala concluded by saying that the proposed padayatra reflects political desperation rather than a genuine attempt to reconnect with the public. Notably, this statement is the first formal response from the TDP to Jagan’s padayatra plan, setting the tone for what is expected to be an intense political confrontation in the coming months.
