In the Pithapuram constituency, represented by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, allegations of irregularities in the employment guarantee scheme have been raised. It is being said that some Jana Sena leaders are influencing field assistants and preventing people who support the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) from getting work.
A field assistant named Inti Veera Babu from Durgada village in Gollaprolu mandal, Kakinada district, reportedly told workers, “You belong to YSRCP, so you will not be given employment,” and allegedly stopped five group leaders from receiving work. He also said he was under pressure from Jana Sena leaders.
Around 250 workers connected to these five groups expressed anger over the field assistant’s actions. They raised concerns that politics is being mixed with the employment guarantee scheme, which is meant to support poor and unemployed people. Workers said they are worried about their future and demanded fair treatment.
Workers also said that in Durgada village, they have not seen such problems in the employment scheme in the past 15 years. They demanded transparency and asked who is responsible for bringing politics into the system.
The workers said they start work at 5:30 am and continue until 11:00 am, often working in difficult conditions under the sun.
After learning about the issue, YSRCP leader and Gollaprolu ZPTC member Ulavakayala Naga Lova Raju spoke with officials. Later, the Gollaprolu MPDO also visited the protest site and tried to speak with the workers and higher authorities. Eventually, officials restored the blocked logins of some workers, and the situation was temporarily resolved.
Problems faced by workers
Workers alleged that field assistant Veera Babu is creating serious problems for them. They said attendance is being recorded for only a week even when they work for 15 days. They also alleged that attendance is being given to people who did not work, based on personal preference.
They further claimed that some workers’ logins were blocked due to political bias, and that the field assistant is acting in coordination with Jana Sena leaders to create irregularities in the employment scheme.
Workers’ protest
Workers said they will not tolerate politics being played with their livelihood. They demanded immediate action against those responsible and said that poor workers in the constituency are being unfairly targeted.
YSRCP constituency in-charge Vanga Geetha Vishwanath also criticized the situation, saying that if such incidents continue, strong opposition will follow.
The Broader Indictment
This incident in Durgada village is not isolated. It is a microcosm of a government that has shown, across multiple domains, a willingness to use state machinery against its political opponents. Now in Pawan Kalyan’s own constituency, the rural employment guarantee, the last safety net for the landless poor is being converted into a political gatekeeper.
The workers of Durgada start work at 5:30 am. They work under the sun until 11:00 am. They ask for nothing more than the 100 days of wages the law promises them. That question should shame a government that calls itself pro-poor.
