Festival Cheer Missing for Citizens, Says Botsa Satyanarayana

Leader of Opposition and former minister Botsa Satyanarayana criticized the coalition government, claiming that its anti-people policies have dampened Sankranti celebrations for all sections, including farmers, students, and employees. He expressed sorrow that the festival has left citizens disheartened . Speaking at a media meeting held at his camp office in Visakhapatnam , he launched strong attacks on the government.

Botsa criticized Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for glorifying alcohol while raising the price of bottles by ₹10 just before the festival, placing an undue burden on ordinary people. He further condemned the government for artificially inflating land values and drastically increasing registration charges , calling it unjust . “The coalition’s approach seems to be: as long as the leaders live comfortably, the fate of the people doesn’t matter,” he scolded.

He alleged that the agriculture sector is in severe crisis . The state is still facing a urea shortage , and farmers have to buy a ₹270 bag of fertilizer for ₹600 in the black market. Crops are not fetching fair prices , and buyers are scarce, leaving farmers in tears even during the festival .

Students’ Futures at Stake

Botsa criticized the government for not releasing fee reimbursement dues for the past 18 months , which has cast a shadow over students’ futures. He claimed that nearly ₹5,600 crore is pending for eight academic quarters , leaving private educational institutions unable to pay staff salaries . He also alleged that Aarogyasri health services have completely collapsed in the state.

Murders and Inaugurations

The Opposition leader said law and order has completely deteriorated , citing hundreds of families being ostracized from villages . He condemned the murder of YSRCP worker Salman , calling it a government-led killing , and questioned what response the administration would provide. Botsa accused the coalition government of breaking agreements established during the previous YSRCP government , using inaugurations for political showmanship. He pointed out that the Greenco project in Kakinada was initiated under Chief Minister Jagan’s tenure. Warning the real estate companies, he said the opposition would directly fight if valuable lands were forcibly acquired .