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YSRCP Trade Union State President P Gowtham Reddy on Sunday lambasted Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Minister Nara Lokesh for "deceiving" lakhs of auto, taxi, lorry, and tipper drivers.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Tadepalli, he said the coalition government has turned its back on workers with yet another act of betrayal. "Before elections, Naidu and Lokesh promised Rs 15,000 annually to every badge-holding driver. Today, there are at least 15 lakh eligible drivers, but the scheme has been restricted to just 2.90 lakh. Against a commitment of Rs 2,250 crore, the government has released only Rs 436 crore. This means nearly 80% of drivers have been excluded," Gautam Reddy said. He contrasted this with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, saying, "YS Jagan treated the manifesto as sacred and delivered Vahana Mitra without conditions--Rs 10,000 every year to auto, taxi, maxi cab and ration vehicle drivers. Even during COVID, support was uninterrupted. That is credibility." Slamming CM Naidu's anti-labour record, he said, "This government has backed 10-hour working days, dismantled AP Outsourcing Corporation, sacked FiberNet and Beverages Corporation workers, and privatised state enterprises. Now, drivers too have joined the long list of victims of Naidu's betrayal." Gowtham Reddy accused the coalition of playing politics with optics. "Naidu, Pawan, and Lokesh staged a publicity show by riding autos, while in reality cheating lakhs of families. Even fitness tests, challans, and green tax continue to burden drivers despite promises to remove them." Declaring solidarity, he announced a meeting with auto driver unions this month to prepare collective action. "Until every eligible driver receives Rs 15,000 annually and a Drivers' Welfare Board is set up, YSRCP will fight on their behalf," he affirmed. (ANI)
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