YSRCP flays CM for focusing on publicity over relief efforts

Former MLA TJR Sudhakar Babu has strongly criticised Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for prioritising publicity amidst the recent floods that submerged parts of Vijayawada.
Addressing the media at a press conference in Tadepalli on Friday, Sudhakar Babu accused Naidu of focusing more on his political image than on the plight of the flood victims. He claimed that Naidu’s frequent tours, accompanied by large entourages, were hampering relief efforts and failing to meet the real needs of the affected people.
Sudhakar Babu pointed out that the Budameru stream, which caused the flooding, had turned into a curse for Vijayawada due to the negligence of Chandrababu Naidu. He argued that during Naidu’s previous tenure, the much-needed modernisation of the Budameru Diversion Channel (BDC) was overlooked, a measure that could have averted the disaster. According to Babu, Naidu’s inaction on the Budameru project has led to severe flood damage and the suffering of lakhs of people.
He further questioned the lack of flood mitigation measures at upstream reservoirs like Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Pulichintala. Despite having a 20-hour window before the Budameru floodwaters reached Vijayawada, no precautions were taken, nor were any relief camps set up, he stated. Babu held Naidu responsible for the loss of lives and property, noting that 47 deaths had been reported, although the actual toll could be higher.
Sudhakar Babu urged Naidu to abandon his obsession with publicity and take accountability for the plight of the flood victims in Vijayawada. He demanded an apology from the Chief Minister for his role in the disaster and questioned his capability to continue in office given the scale of the ongoing crisis.