From the Gulakarayi Drama to the YSR Statue Vandalism Incident
A lie every day, a conspiracy every week, and a manufactured controversy every month have become the defining features of YSRCP politics
Even after being reduced to just 11 Assembly seats, the party has failed to learn any lessons from the people’s verdict
Amaravati, June 5: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) State President and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), accusing it of pursuing a political culture built on falsehoods, conspiracies, misinformation campaigns and calculated attempts to destabilise public confidence in democratic institutions.
He said the people of Andhra Pradesh had delivered a historic and unequivocal verdict against the YSRCP two years ago after enduring five years of what he described as misgovernance, corruption, political vendetta and administrative excesses. Yet, despite being reduced to a mere 11 seats in the Legislative Assembly, the party had shown little inclination towards introspection or course correction.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao alleged that from the much-publicised Gulakarayi episode before the elections to the recent controversy surrounding the vandalisation of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy statues, the YSRCP leadership had repeatedly sought to convert sensitive incidents into political spectacles aimed at generating sympathy and creating mistrust against the coalition government.
Governance in Power, Conspiracies in Opposition
The TDP leader said that during its five-year tenure, the YSRCP thrived on fostering divisions and encouraging a climate of confrontation across social, regional and political lines. Having been decisively rejected by the electorate, the party was now attempting to remain politically relevant through misinformation and manufactured controversies, he alleged.
According to him, the remarkable pace of development and welfare initiatives being undertaken by the coalition government has unsettled the YSRCP leadership, prompting a relentless campaign of criticism and distortion. Rather than acting as a constructive Opposition, the party has chosen to spread pessimism and confusion, he said.
From the Gulakarayi Drama to the YSR Statue Controversy
Mr. Srinivasa Rao alleged that the YSRCP has consistently relied on sympathy-driven politics whenever confronted with political setbacks. He claimed that the Gulakarayi incident, which generated considerable public attention during the election period, was part of a larger pattern in which isolated incidents were amplified and politicised for electoral advantage.
He further alleged that YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had repeatedly attempted to derive political mileage from emotionally charged issues while diverting attention from substantive questions of governance and accountability. The tendency to construct narratives while suppressing inconvenient facts had become a hallmark of the party’s political functioning, he remarked.
Persistent Campaign Against Development
Mr. Srinivasa Rao accused the YSRCP of systematically opposing virtually every major development initiative undertaken in Andhra Pradesh.
Whether it was the reconstruction of Amaravati, the acceleration of the Polavaram project, welfare reforms, industrial expansion or investment promotion, the Opposition had consistently attempted to create obstacles and spread uncertainty, he alleged.
Referring specifically to the allocation of land to globally recognised companies such as Google, TCS and Cognizant in Visakhapatnam, he said repeated attempts had been made to create apprehensions among investors through litigation and negative propaganda. Such actions, he argued, ultimately undermine the State’s economic prospects and employment opportunities for its youth.
Politicisation of Religious Institutions
Expressing concern over what he termed the politicisation of sacred institutions, Mr. Srinivasa Rao alleged that even revered pilgrimage centres such as Tirumala and Srisailam had been drawn into partisan political campaigns.
He accused the YSRCP of repeatedly circulating misleading narratives concerning temple administration, prasadam quality, goshalas and pilgrim amenities with the objective of creating distrust among devotees and tarnishing the image of the government.
According to him, attempts to sensationalise routine administrative matters and portray them as major controversies reflected a disturbing disregard for the sanctity of religious institutions.
Political Tours Designed to Create Tension
The TDP State President alleged that several tours undertaken by Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy in recent months had been characterised by attempts to generate confrontation rather than address public concerns.
Whether in the name of expressing solidarity with farmers or engaging with local communities, such visits frequently resulted in controversy, unrest and political agitation, he claimed. He further alleged that sensitive social issues, including matters relating to Dalits and marginalised communities, were often exploited to provoke tensions and create divisions for political gain.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao also criticised what he described as efforts to portray individuals facing serious criminal allegations as victims, arguing that such actions weakened public faith in the rule of law and emboldened anti-social elements.
Referring to the recent YSR statue vandalism incidents reported from Nandyal district, he said emerging facts were raising serious questions and exposing what appeared to be a larger attempt to create unrest in an otherwise peaceful atmosphere for political benefit.
Rejected by the People, Yet Unchanged
The TDP leader said the people of Andhra Pradesh had already rendered their judgment on what he termed the YSRCP’s legacy of corruption, vindictive governance, anti-development policies and political opportunism.
The party’s dramatic reduction to 11 Assembly seats, he said, was not merely an electoral defeat but a public rejection of a style of politics rooted in confrontation, falsehoods and administrative excesses.
Despite receiving such a clear mandate from the electorate, the YSRCP appears unwilling to abandon its old methods and continues to rely on the same cycle of allegations, conspiracies and political theatrics, he observed.
People Must Remain Vigilant
Calling upon citizens to remain alert, Mr. Srinivasa Rao alleged that the YSRCP’s overriding objective was to obstruct Andhra Pradesh’s developmental journey by discouraging investments, delaying projects and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty.
He said that while the State was steadily progressing towards economic growth, industrial expansion and employment generation, certain political forces remained determined to derail that progress for narrow partisan interests.
“The future of Andhra Pradesh, the aspirations of its youth and the State’s development trajectory must not become casualties of cynical political gamesmanship. The people must remain vigilant and stand firmly on the side of development, stability and progress,” Mr. Srinivasa Rao said.