YSRCP questions Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu's three-day absence amid floods, drought and protests

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Monday asked the Andhra Pradesh government to make public Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's tour programme, questioning his absence from public view over the past three days while the State was dealing with floods, drought and protests by several sections of people.

Speaking to reporters at the party's central office in Tadepalli, YSRCP State general secretary Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvathi said people in North Andhra were facing flood-related problems, farmers in Rayalaseema were affected by drought, and unemployed youth and DSC aspirants were staging protests over their demands.

DSC aspirants are candidates seeking government jobs through recruitment notified by District Selection Committees. Delays in such recruitment have been a recurring political issue in the State.

Ms. Lakshmi Parvathi asked why the Chief Minister's tour schedule had not been made public, and demanded that he explain where he had gone and the purpose of the visit. Her remarks came at a media briefing. The report did not include a response from the Chief Minister's Office or from the ruling Telugu Desam Party.

Referring to Mr. Naidu's earlier foreign visits, she alleged that details of some of his trips had not been adequately disclosed, and questioned whether the Union government and intelligence agencies were aware of such visits. Foreign travel by Chief Ministers has long been a subject of political debate in Andhra Pradesh, with parties trading such allegations across successive governments.

Drawing a comparison with former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, she said he had disclosed details of his travel and approached the courts whenever permission was required. She also accused Minister Nara Lokesh and sections of the media of applying different standards to the two leaders.

Ms. Lakshmi Parvathi further alleged that Andhra Pradesh was losing investment because of corruption, demands for bribes and the alleged use of what she described as the "Red Book" system. She accused the government of failing to check the exploitation of natural resources, including sand and hillocks. She did not present documentary evidence in support of these claims during the briefing as reported.

Andhra Pradesh is administratively and climatically exposed to both extremes of weather. The north-coastal and coastal districts are vulnerable to flooding during the monsoon and cyclone season, while large parts of Rayalaseema, comprising districts such as Anantapur, Kurnool, Kadapa and Chittoor, are classified as drought-prone. Together, they place competing demands on any State government during the same period.

The YSRCP is the principal opposition party in the State and the Telugu Desam Party heads the ruling alliance. Demands for greater transparency in a Chief Minister's official schedule, and questions about the use of public resources for travel, are a routine part of democratic accountability.

At the same time, allegations of corruption, of undisclosed foreign travel, or of preferential treatment by the media remain allegations until they are supported by evidence or acknowledged by those named. Readers should weigh them accordingly, and a complete picture would require the response of the Chief Minister's Office and the ruling party to the specific points raised.