Amaravati, Oct 31 (PTI) YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday said the prices of essential commodities and food items has risen sharply under the TDP-led government, claiming that the increase ranged from 8 per cent to 433 per cent in just two years.
Comparing the prices of 11 essential commodities and fuel items during the previous YSRCP regime and the current coalition government, Jagan said the rising cost of living has made life increasing difficult for people.
“Oh my God! N Chandrababu Naidu’s prices during his rule are shocking…Electricity, RTC bus and every other utility – tariff hikes everywhere! The burden of rising prices has become unbearable,” said the former CM in a post on X late on Friday.
According to Jagan, a 25-kg sack of rice which cost Rs 1,400 during the previous YSRCP government has skyrocketed to Rs 2,375 under the coalition government of TDP-BJP-Jana Sena coalition government.
The price of the cereal, the staple food of the southern state, rose by 70 percent.
He also alleged that the price of palm oil rose from Rs 85 to Rs 165, sunflower oil from Rs 110 to Rs 189, onions from Rs 15 per kg to Rs 80, tur dal from Rs 110 per kg to Rs 180, sugar from Rs 30 per kg to Rs 65, milk from Rs 44 per litre to Rs 80 and eggs from Rs 4.5 per unit to Rs 8.
Similarly, he claimed that the price of a 14.2 kg cooking gas cylinder rose from Rs 825 to Rs 964, tomatoes Rs 20 per kg to Rs 55, petrol from Rs 109 per litre to Rs 117.6 and diesel from Rs 94 per litre to Rs 105.3.
Meanwhile, the ruling TDP accused Jagan of "misleading" people with false figures and questioned the alleged price rise during the previous regime.
“Why are you Jagan spreading so many lies? Have you forgotten that cooking oil reached Rs 200 during your tenure? Have you forgotten onions were Rs 170 per kg? Have you forgotten green gram was Rs 150 per kg? Have you forgotten Bengal gram was Rs 160 per kg? Have you forgotten peanuts were Rs 160 per kg? Have you forgotten tomatoes were Rs 100 per kg?” asked TDP in a post on X.
Further, the ruling party alleged that the YSRCP goverment had imposed hikes in property tax, garbage tax, electricity charges, RTC bus fare, petrol price, and ration price hikes.
Attributing the rise in open market prices to El Niño conditions, the party said the coalition government was making essential commodities available to the poor at subsidised rates through ration shops.
The TDP said that palm oil was available at Rs 125 per litre and wheat flour at Rs 25 per kg, observing that the coalition government is ready to bear a “monthly burden of Rs 100 crore to control prices.”
“We're providing free travel on RTC buses. Meals are offered at just Rs 5 in all canteens. In 2.5 years, we haven't raised electricity charges even once—we've actually reduced them (true down). We've canceled the garbage tax you imposed,” said the Chandrababu Naidu-led party.
In every way, the coalition government is protecting the poor and middle class, it said, adding “you can't fool the people with false numbers, Jagan...”
