Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is finding it difficult to implement the welfare schemes promised before the last assembly elections while simultaneously focusing on developmental works.
He has been under tremendous pressure to deliver on these schemes, as the YSR Congress Party, led by former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been accusing him of failing to fully implement his “Super Six” guarantees even after 14 months in power.
However, according to recent reports, Naidu’s welfare programs have not been well received by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s national leadership, which views them as a strain on the state exchequer. This financial burden is reportedly forcing the chief minister to frequently approach New Delhi for funds.
Sources say the BJP has not raised objections to the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme, since it is linked to the Centre’s PM-Kisan program. However, the party is said to have opposed the Thalliki Vandanam scheme, which provides ₹15,000 to all mothers for sending their children to school.
The BJP leadership has also expressed reservations about the scheme offering free travel for women in APSRTC buses. It is learned that the party has already conveyed its objections regarding these initiatives to the state government.
Adding to this, Andhra BJP leader Lanka Dinakar, who also serves as chairman of the 20-Point Programme, has called for a national-level debate on excessive “freebies.”
He suggested that welfare models in BJP-ruled states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh be studied before preparing a final report for Naidu.
Meanwhile, Telangana BJP leader Kompella Madhavi Latha recently criticized the free bus travel scheme for women, questioning its usefulness and arguing that the government should instead prioritize creating jobs and livelihood opportunities.
