YSRCP leader Gudivada Amarnath slammed AP CM Chandrababu Naidu over the Polavaram project, calling his statements 'blatant lies' and a betrayal of North Andhra. He accused Naidu of taking credit for work done by YS Jagan and YS Rajasekhar Reddy.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Wednesday slammed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for his blatant lies on Polavaram waters, alleging that his statements amounted to a betrayal of North Coastal Andhra.
Allegations Over Project Execution and Credit
Speaking to the media in Visakhapatnam, former minister Gudivada Amarnath alleged that while water should reach North Coastal Andhra through gravity, bringing it through a lift system and claiming credit for it reflected the Chief Minister's approach. Amarnath claimed that former Chief Ministers Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had completed a major portion of the Polavaram project, while Chandrababu had "betrayed" the people of North Andhra by agreeing to the project's height and backdated rates, which he alleged had affected the project.
He also alleged that Chandrababu was using the project for publicity and targeting YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, while claiming that Polavaram had earlier been described as a "money minting project" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Controversy Over Water Allocation and Contracts
Amarnath questioned the proposal to allocate water to a data centre, alleging that it was contrary to Chandrababu's earlier promises. He claimed that a major portion of the project was completed during the tenure of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy despite the COVID-19 pandemic, while the remaining work was awarded to "his own people" at an "exorbitant rate".
Criticism of Other Projects and Past Actions
Amarnath also criticised Chandrababu over the left bank canal, claiming that it was not conceived by him and had lost its purpose. He alleged that Chandrababu was using the occasion to complete the event in a hurry and target YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Amarnath further alleged that Chandrababu had a history of claiming credit for projects conceived and substantially completed by others, citing the Bhogapuram airport and Veligonda project.
Jagan's Focus on Regional Development Praised
He also said that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had prioritised education and healthcare in North Andhra by setting up medical colleges, hospitals and universities.
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