YSRCP rallies against privatisation of government medical colleges in NTR district

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) organised a rally opposing the proposed privatisation of government medical colleges as part of its Statewide ‘Crore Signatures’ campaign in Vijayawada, on Monday. Leaders and party cadres from NTR district marched from Chuttugunta Centre to Shikhamani Centre and dispatched petitions containing public signatures to the party’s central office.

The rally, which witnessed the good participation, was led by NTR district president Devineni Avinash, along with senior leaders including former Minister Vellampalli Srinivas Rao, ex MLAs Malladi Vishnu, Monditoka Jaganmohan Rao, Tiruvuru in-charge Nallagatla Swamy Das, Jaggaiahpet in-charge Tanneeru Nageswara Rao, MLC Monditoka Arun Kumar, Vijayawada Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi and Kadiyala Buchibabu. The leaders flagged off a vehicle carrying bundles of signed petitions collected from across the district.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Srinivas Rao said the overwhelming public response reflected the growing dissatisfaction with the coalition government. He alleged that while several medical colleges were initiated during the YSRCP government, the present regime had failed to complete them. The former Minister emphasised that government-run medical colleges ensured accessible and quality education and healthcare for the poor, recalling the expansion of ‘Aarogyasri’ and healthcare services under the previous YSRCP government.

Meanwhile, Mr. Avinash said that 4,21,217 people from NTR district alone had signed the petitions opposing privatisation of government medical colleges. He demanded that the coalition government immediately withdraw the move, warning that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan would face public anger if they failed to do so.

Mr. Avinash announced that YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would submit the collected signatures to the Governor on December 18. YSRCP leaders reiterated that privatisation of medical colleges would harm public healthcare and vowed to intensify the agitation until the decision was reversed.