Former Finance Minister Buggana calls A.P. Budget a bundle of lies

Former Finance Minister and YSRCP leader Buggana Rajendranath Reddy has described the Andhra Pradesh State Budget 2026–27 as a ‘bundle of lies’, alleging that it conceals more than it reveals and lacks credibility and substance.

Addressing the media on Saturday, the former Finance Minister accused the coalition government of inflating claims and manipulating figures.

“The format of the Budget document was altered to avoid presenting the mandatory ten-year comparative financial data, thereby masking the State’s fiscal performance. Though the government has highlighted higher growth rates in comparison with the Centre, the corresponding increase in revenue does not support such claims, raising doubts about the authenticity of the projections,” he said. 

Citing the Jal Jeevan Mission as an example, he said that while the Centre reportedly spent around ₹8,500 crore nationwide, the State government claims to have spent ₹10,000 crore and it is ‘questionable’, he said.

A significant gap between last year’s revenue figures and the revised estimates raises questions about how the government plans to bridge the shortfall in the final quarter, he said.

According to him, none of the election promises made by the coalition have been fulfilled, while public debt has reportedly crossed ₹3 lakh crore, without transparent reflection in the Budget.

Farmers, students, women, and unemployed youth have been neglected, he alleged and contrasted the present regime with the YSRCP’s tenure, claiming better fiscal management and a 9% growth rate despite the COVID-19 crisis.