Jagan accuses Naidu of neglecting farmers, calls governance ‘Feudal’

YSR Congress Party President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of “feudal-era boasting” and “insensitive governance” in handling the recent cyclone and farmer welfare issues.

In a press release, Jagan said Naidu’s claims of efficiently managing the cyclone were “publicity-driven exaggerations detached from ground reality.” He asserted that real disaster management was about protecting vulnerable families and farmers, not staging “photo opportunities and camera drills.”

Jagan alleged that the present government scrapped the universal free crop insurance scheme introduced by the YSRCP, which had covered 84.8 lakh farmers and provided ₹7,802 crore in compensation. Under the TDP, he claimed, only 19 lakh farmers remain insured and are now required to pay their own premiums. He added that ₹600 crore owed to farmers as compensation remains unpaid, despite farmers facing adverse weather conditions 16 times in 18 months.

He further charged the Naidu government with dismantling Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs), diluting the e-crop monitoring system, scrapping free crop insurance, and ending input subsidies before the next season. He also accused the Chief Minister of betraying farmers under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme by promising ₹40,000 but delivering only ₹5,000.

Referring to the loss of eight lives in the cyclone, Jagan questioned Naidu’s claims of effective crisis management. “If you managed the cyclone so well, why did innocent people die? Real governance prevents loss of life and protects livelihoods,” he said.

Contrasting Naidu’s administration with his own, Jagan highlighted YSRCP’s reforms such as RBKs at the village level, real-time crop loss enumeration, e-crop mapping, a ₹3,000-crore price stabilisation fund, and the CMAPP procurement system, calling them examples of “scientific and compassionate governance.”

Political observers say this exchange reflects a renewed rural power struggle ahead of the next elections. The blame game over farmer welfare could influence voter sentiment, with Jagan emphasising empathy and protection, while Naidu focuses on administrative efficiency and fiscal discipline. Farmer support, they note, may depend on which leader farmers perceive as truly standing by them in times of crisis.