Tadepalli: FormerMinister Vidadala Rajini strongly condemned Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s decision to privatise government medical colleges, describing it as the biggest scam of his tenure and a classic example of ‘Chandrababu-mark plunder’ driven by commissions.

Addressing the media at YSR Congress Party Central Office in Tadepalli on Friday, Rajini alleged that under the guise of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, thousands of crores of rupees are changing hands, converting public healthcare and medical education into profit-driven ventures. She warned that privatisation would impose heavy user charges on people and effectively end the era of quality free healthcare, which she said was a hallmark of the YSRCP government.

Rajini said the one-crore-signature public movement opposing medical college privatisation had rattled the ruling coalition, prompting its leaders to insult and belittle citizens, who signed the petition. She accused the Chief Minister of mocking students, youth, intellectuals and over 1.04 crore people, who demanded that government medical colleges remain in the public sector.

Pointing out that even the Parliamentary Standing Committee has stressed the importance of government-run medical colleges, she alleged that the coalition government remains obsessed with privatisation for commissions. Leasing 50 acres of prime land at Rs 100 per acre for 66 years, handing over management to private entities while the government continues to bear operational costs, clearly exposes the scam, she said.

Recalling past experiences, Rajini alleged that Chandrababu Naidu had earlier privatised urban health centres without delivering quality services. In contrast, she said the YSRCP government strengthened public healthcare through Nadu–Nedu reforms, YSR Village Health Clinics, Urban Health Centres and the Family Doctor programme.

She asserted that despite medical colleges being achievable with about Rs 5,000 crore over five years, the government deliberately chose privatisation for kickbacks. Rajini warned that once YSRCP returns to power, a comprehensive probe will be conducted and all those involved in corruption will be held accountable, without exception.