VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Housing and I & PR Kolusu Parthasaradhy has launched a sharp attack on YSRCP president and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, describing him as an obstacle to development and reiterating that Amaravati remains the symbol of self-respect for the people of Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing a press conference at the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) headquarters in Mangalagiri, Parthasaradhy said Jagan’s proposal for a new capital has been ridiculed even by his own party leaders and workers. He reminded that the three-capital plan was rejected outright by the people, who reduced the YSRCP to just 11 seats in the recent elections.
The minister accused Jagan of misleading the public with false promises of ‘decentralised development’ between 2019 and 2024. He alleged that Jagan initially pledged support for Amaravati in the Assembly but later resorted to ‘suitcase politics’ and attempted to split the capital into three parts.
Parthasaradhy likened this to a ‘Tughlaq style of governance,’ claiming that Jagan imposed his ideas on party cadre without vision or accountability. He said Amaravati represents the aspirations of five crore people, built on the sacrifices of farmers who voluntarily gave their land for the capital project.
Highlighting Amaravati’s potential, Parthasaradhy noted that just as Hyderabad today generates lakhs of crores in revenue, Amaravati too could become a self-financing project capable of bringing in Rs 4–5 lakh crore annually, ensuring growth across all regions of the State.
He credited the coalition government over the past 20 months with reviving development, securing thousands of crores in central funds, and initiating zonal projects such as corridors in Kurnool, ports and refineries in Prakasam and Nellore, and IT hubs in Visakhapatnam. Amaravati, he said, is being rebuilt to compete with global cities.
Parthasaradhy further remarked that investors seek infrastructure and connectivity, not empty promises. He mocked Jagan’s style of ‘discussions under a tree,’ saying such an approach would never attract serious investment.