TDP leaders trying to mislead people on Rushikonda constructions, alleges YSRCP leader Amarnath

Former Minister accuses TDP of misleading public on Rushikonda buildings, highlighting YSRCP government's development initiatives and TDP's obstruction.

Former Minister Gudivada Amarnath has alleged that TDP MLAs and some Ministers are trying to mislead the public by trying to project the buildings, constructed by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government at Rushikonda, as private buildings meant for the use of the former Chief Minister.

Taking strong exception to the statements of the TDP leaders, at a media conference here on Monday, Mr. Amarnath said that the TDP leaders had been trying to stall any development work, including the constructions at Rushikonda, undertaken by the previous government by approaching the courts on one pretext or the other.

He recalled that the AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) resort was constructed during the tenure of former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, some three-and-a-half decades ago. The property was still under the control of the APTDC and it was for the new government to decide for what public purpose it could be put to use, Mr. Amarnath said.

Instead of thinking on those lines, the TDP leaders were trying to create the wrong impression that the YSRCP government had constructed the asset for the ‘personal use’ of the YSRCP leaders. “When our government was in power, we wanted to build a State guest house on the Bheemunipatnam Beach Road, in Visakhapatnam. They (TDP leaders) tried to stall that also. The present government can use it as a guest house during the visits of the President, the Prime Minister, Chief Minister or other VVIPs,” he said.

Condemning the ‘false campaign’ by the TDP leaders, he recalled when Mr. Jagan was in power, he wanted to make Visakhapatnam as ‘Executive Capital’ of AP. Former Minister and TDP leader Ganta Srinivasa Rao had openly welcomed the decision, when it was announced in 2019.

Mr. Jagan had also announced his decision to function from Vizag, if the YSRCP was voted to power in 2024. A three-member committee of senior IAS officers had suggested that the buildings at Rushikonda were ideal for location of the CM’s Camp Office.

Dismissing the charges of spending huge amount of public money on the construction at Rushikonda, Mr. Amarnath recalled that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu had spent between ₹5,000 crore and ₹6,000 crore on ‘temporary constructions’ at Amaravati between 2014-19. “Ours is a permanent construction, and public property, which can be put to good use,” he said.