Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, describing Amaravati as the “capital of corruption” where massive scams, inflated costs and unsustainable loans are being pushed at the expense of the state’s future. Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office, YS Jagan said Chandrababu’s policies were not only impractical but deliberately designed to enrich himself and his coterie while burdening future generations with an unbearable debt.
YS Jagan made it clear that YSRCP is not opposed to Amaravati or any region in the state, but is strongly against the rampant corruption being carried out in its name. He accused Chandrababu of staging a drama in the Assembly by passing a resolution on the capital only to divert public attention from the daylight robbery happening in the name of development.
Assembly Resolution: Drama to Cover Loot
YS Jagan pointed out that even a minister in Chandrababu’s own government, Parthasarathy, had publicly stated that no Assembly resolution was needed on the capital. He questioned why such a drama was being enacted when the word “capital” itself does not exist in the Constitution, only “Seats of Governance” is mentioned. The Central Government has also officially clarified in the High Court that deciding a state capital is entirely the prerogative of the state and the Centre has no role in it. YS Jagan reminded everyone that when Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were formed in 2000, the Centre did not decide their capitals.
Seven years of empty promises and unfulfilled commitments
YS Jagan asked Chandrababu directly: You were Chief Minister for seven years, five years in the first term and two years in the second. In the one lakh acres of Amaravati, how much have you actually built so far? You called it your pet project and a self-financed city. You showed pictures of different countries and claimed it would be the “Best Capital in the World”. But have you at least fulfilled the promises given to the farmers who parted with their land? Even the first 50,000 acres taken have no proper infrastructure yet.
According to Chandrababu’s own calculations, providing basic infrastructure like roads, electricity, water and drainage for those 50,000 acres alone costs Rs. 2 crore per acre , a total of Rs. 1 lakh crore. Now he is suddenly demanding another 50,000 acres in the second phase, which would require another Rs. 1 lakh crore. YS Jagan asked why the master plan prepared before 2019 is being changed overnight and why Amaravati is being expanded when even the first phase has no way out.
Unbearable debt burden on Future Generations
YS Jagan warned that the total cost for one lakh acres of basic infrastructure would reach Rs. 2 lakh crore according to Chandrababu’s own figures. No one knows how much this will escalate to or how many decades it will take to complete. In the last seven years, Chandrababu has spent only around Rs. 8,000 crore on Amaravati , most of it through loans. Yet he is now talking of bringing Rs. 47,000 crore in gross and committed loans, of which Rs. 13,000 crore has already been drawn, including Rs. 5,500 crore as mobilisation advances that have gone as commissions.
YS Jagan said the state is already facing Rs. 36,000 crore in pending salaries for employees, while welfare schemes like Naaadu-Nedu, Vidya Deevena, Vasati Deevena and Arogya Sri have come to a grinding halt. Agriculture is in crisis and medical colleges have stopped. If Chandrababu continues to pour money into Amaravati, what will happen to the rest of the state?
Massive cost escalations and Same Contractors
YS Jagan exposed the blatant corruption in tenders. The same companies that received works in 2018 have been awarded the same works again after the 2024 tenders were cancelled. Rates have been increased unimaginably , SFT costs have shot up from Rs. 11,000 to Rs. 14,000 per square foot, even though land, sand and several charges are free or concessional. In comparison, five-star buildings in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad do not exceed Rs. 4,500 per SFT. YS Jagan said this is nothing but organised loot where contractors and the ruling coterie are sharing the spoils.
Plan-B Ignored: Practical Development of MAVIGUN Corridor
YS Jagan reiterated that YSRCP had proposed a practical Plan-B, developing the Machilipatnam-Vijayawada-Guntur corridor (MAVIGUN) as the capital region with minimal investment. This 110 km developed highway already exists and could have become a growth engine with far less money. But Chandrababu rejected it because scams cannot be committed in an already developed area.
Final Warning
YS Jagan concluded that Chandrababu is not building a capital but engineering a massive debt trap for the state. He said every paisa looted from the people in the name of Amaravati will be exposed with evidence. He appealed to the people to see through the drama and understand the real cost being paid by the state and its future generations. The YSRCP chief said the party will continue to fight against this corruption and work for the balanced development and welfare of all regions in the state.
