YSRCP steps up ‘one-crore signature movement’ against govt.’s PPP model for medical colleges

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has intensified its ‘One-Crore Signature Movement’, describing it as a people’s uprising against the TDP-led alliance government’s alleged plan to privatise government medical colleges. Party leaders said the move would turn medical education and healthcare into luxuries beyond the reach of poor families.

Terming the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model “anti-poor and pro-corporate,” YSRCP leaders on Wednesday demanded its immediate withdrawal, accusing Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of “selling the future of poor students to private profiteers.” They said the massive signature campaign reflects “one crore families defending their right to affordable healthcare and accessible education.”

The leaders contrasted the present government’s policy with former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s initiatives, recalling that he had laid the foundations for 17 government medical colleges, five of which are already functional. “YSRCP built institutions for future generations, while the present regime is conspiring to hand them over to private cronies,” they alleged.

Accusing the ruling alliance of governance failures and false propaganda, the YSRCP said, “Their welfare is on paper, publicity is on steroids, but delivery is zero.”

Ground reports indicated large-scale participation across districts. In Kadiri, B.S. Maqbool led drives in several panchayats, while Perni Krishnamurthy spearheaded efforts in Machilipatnam. Similar programmes were organised in Amarapuram, Sullurupeta, and Narsipatnam.

The YSRCP urged citizens to unite against privatisation, saying the movement symbolises “the people’s collective fight to protect public medical institutions and the right to affordable healthcare.”