VIJAYAWADA: YSRCP chief and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday reaffirmed his party’s alternative capital vision, announcing that the party would firmly stick to its Machilipatnam-Vijayawada-Guntur (MAVIGUN) corridor proposal as its primary poll plank. He declared that the next Assembly elections would be a straight referendum on ‘MAVIGUN versus Amaravati’.
“We will see how much support the public gives us,” Jagan said, asserting that the coastal corridor model is a fitting alternative to the Amaravati project, which he alleged is marked by rampant corruption and exorbitant costs. He said the MAVIGUN proposal has natural advantages and ready-made infrastructure.
He said the proposal would be officially incorporated into the party’s election campaign and manifesto. However, he declined to comment on his earlier three-capitals proposal when asked by reporters.
Jagan accused CM N Chandrababu Naidu of orchestrating a real estate scam.
Even 5-star construction costs only Rs 4,500 per sft in B’luru & Hyd: Jagan
He pointed to what he described as stark financial disparities, claiming that while the Central government constructs office buildings at Rs 4,645 per sq. ft., the State government is spending an exorbitant Rs 20,439 per sq. ft. on a 52 lakh sq. ft. Secretariat.
“In cities like Hyderabad or Bengaluru, even five-star construction costs only Rs 4,500 per sq. ft.,” Jagan claimed, adding that Amaravati’s internal roads are being built at ₹53 crore per kilometre, compared with the standard national highway cost of Rs 24 crore per kilometre.
He further alleged that thousands of acres were being acquired to benefit Naidu’s close associates at the expense of local farmers. Jagan also claimed that recent political attacks and alleged high-handedness by the State government were orchestrated by the TDP to divert attention from these financial discrepancies and prevent the alleged multi-crore corruption from being exposed.