Sajjala criticises Amaravati push, alleges financial burden on people

YSR Congress Party State coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu over the Amaravati capital project, alleging that it is imposing a heavy financial burden on the public and lacks practical viability.  

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters at Tadepalli in Guntur district on Saturday (April 04), he accused Mr. Naidu of insulting different regions by comparing them to playing cards, while criticising the three capitals proposal brought by the former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The YSRCP leader alleged that Mr. Naidu was forcing celebrations over what he termed an unviable capital burdened with debts of nearly ₹2 lakh crore.  

He claimed that the call for Amaravati celebrations was largely rejected, even by officials and employees despite directions. Mr. Reddy alleged that the Amaravati project was driven by corruption, with inflated contracts and excessive borrowing. He criticised the government for raising funds at higher interest rates, including Amaravati bonds at over 10%, questioning the economic rationale behind such decisions. The debt burden will ultimately fall on the public, he said.  

Defending the vision of former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on the Machilipatnam-Vijayawada-Guntur (MaViGun), he said the idea was to create a self-sustaining growth engine without burdening the State. He reiterated that a capital should be accessible and financially sustainable, not limited to constructing a few buildings.

Citing examples like Nava Raipur, the greenfield capital of Chhattisgarh, Mr. Reddy argued that capital cities should evolve alongside economic activity rather than through heavy borrowing. He also backed decentralisation, stating it was based on expert recommendations, including the Sivaramakrishnan Committee report.

He further alleged that Amaravati had become a revenue source for vested interests and claimed that each citizen was being burdened with liabilities of up to ₹2 lakh. He demanded that the government rethink its approach and prioritise people-centric, financially viable development models.