YSRCP activists are holding a rally in Vijayawada on Wednesday. | Photo credit: GN RAO
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders staged protests on Wednesday, presented statements to local authorities and mobilized people in support of party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s “vision of affordable medical education and healthcare for the poor”. Thousands of party activists participated in the detention and house arrest of key activists across the state.
The YSRCP said the ‘Praja Garjana’ along with the one million signature campaign demonstrated the state’s united stand against the alleged privatization of government medical colleges and emphasized that “health care is a public responsibility, not a corporate commodity”.
A protest rally was held in Vijayawada under the leadership of former MLA Malladi Vishnu condemning the government’s decision to privatize medical colleges. The rally ended with the presentation of a memorandum to the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) demanding the withdrawal of the privatization plan.
Party presidents Devineni Avinash and Velampalli Srinivas staged protests separately.
Criticizing Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the former MLA said, “The Aarogyasri scheme has become ineffective and the support to Aarogya Aasara patients has been withdrawn. It is shameful that Mr. Naidu, who ruled the state for 14 years and is now back in power, has chosen such an anti-poor number of medical seats during which Mr. Reddy has increased the number of medical seats from 2,360 to 2,550 because of the decision coalition government, Andhra Pradesh will lose 2,500 seats.
Former minister Ambati Rambabu in Guntur said that “17 medical colleges built during YSRCP tenure are meant for the poor and must not be handed over to corporations”. One million signatures exposed the betrayal of this government, he said. In Machilipatnam, the protest was led by Perni Kittu.
Leading the protest in Punganur, MLA Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy highlighted the “transformational impact” of Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s health initiatives and highlighted the creation of 2,150 new medical seats with plans for further expansion.
Leaders like Botcha Satyanarayana, YS Avinash Reddy and RK Roja reiterated that the fight will continue until the decision is withdrawn.
Published – 12 Nov 2025 20:30 IST
