A storm has erupted in Andhra Pradesh political circles after CM Chandrababu Naidu, during a Parent-Teacher meeting at a ZP school in Kothacheruvu, claimed that the newly launched “Talliki Vandhanam” scheme was the brainchild of his son and minister, Nara Lokesh. The statement has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), who are accusing Naidu of shamelessly rewriting recent welfare history.
YSRCP leaders were quick to point out that the scheme is nothing but a renamed version of Amma Vodi, introduced by former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy during his 2019–2024 tenure — under which ₹15,000 per year was credited directly to mothers to support their children’s education.
“What’s new except the name?” questioned YSRCP spokespersons, accusing Naidu of repackaging a successful welfare model while attempting to pass it off as Lokesh’s innovation. “He won’t even spare schoolchildren from political lies,” one leader said, slamming the Chief Minister for what they called “image-building propaganda at the cost of facts.”
Adding to the controversy, YSRCP pointed out that the TDP-led government has not even released the Amma Vodi/Talliki Vandhanam funds for the 2024–25 academic year, effectively ditching one full installment while claiming credit for the scheme. “First you skip the benefit, then take credit for the idea — is this governance or deception?” they asked.
Social media, especially among YSRCP supporters, erupted in satire — with users joking that Naidu might soon claim he invented the internet and made Satya Nadella Microsoft CEO. Some even mocked: “If the school bench Lokesh sat on was refurbished during Jagan’s rule, should that credit go to Lokesh too?”
According to critics, the move is part of a calculated effort to elevate Lokesh’s public image by stamping his name onto welfare schemes originally conceptualized and implemented under Jagan’s government. “People aren’t fools,” YSRCP leaders warned, calling the TDP’s branding efforts an insult to public memory and a distortion of governance continuity.
