YSR Congress boycotted the Assembly, demanding Opposition Leader status for YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. But the party still attends the Council, where it holds a majority.
However, its MLCs appear poorly prepared. Today, they raised questions about the Thalliki Vandhanam scheme but failed to present consistent facts.
Two MLCs claimed the scheme didn’t reach all students. One said only 63 lakh got it, while another said 57 lakh. Minister Nara Lokesh quickly pointed out the contradiction, exposing their lack of coordination.
They also questioned exclusions in the scheme—like families using over 300 units of electricity, government outsourcing staff, and certain landowners. Lokesh replied that all these guidelines were introduced by the previous YSR Congress government.
“If they don’t know the rules, they should ask the Leader of Opposition, Botsa Satyanarayana, who was a minister back then,” Lokesh said. He confirmed every eligible student would receive the benefit as per the existing rules.
MLC Bommi Israel raised the issue of Ration Cards. He claimed students without cards were being excluded. Lokesh countered him firmly: “How can you give any welfare scheme without verifying identity? Ration Card is basic. We’re also issuing new cards to those left out.”
The session turned into a clear win for Lokesh. What began as an attack on the government ended up revealing the YSR Congress’s weak preparation and shaky arguments.
