The Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government has become a setback for North Andhra. Even after two years in office, it has failed to bring a single major new project to the region. Instead of completing the development initiatives launched during the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government, it has neglected several projects, pushed some towards privatization, and failed to properly maintain completed public assets. At the same time, it is attempting to appropriate credit for landmark projects that were conceived, approved, and executed under the previous government. From Bhogapuram International Airport and Mulapeta Port to the NTPC Green Hydrogen Hub, Nakkapalli Industrial Hub, Inorbit Mall, Adani Data Centre, Oberoi Hotel at Annavaram and Mayfair Hotel, the foundation for each of these projects was laid during the YS Jagan administration. Yet, the coalition government is presenting them as its own achievements while erasing the contribution that made them possible.

Credit Chori over Bhogapuram Airport

Bhogapuram International Airport stands as one of the biggest examples of the coalition government’s attempt to claim credit without contribution. During the TDP government between 2014 and 2019, the project remained largely on paper. Chandrababu Naidu first proposed acquiring 15,000 acres for the airport and later reduced it to 5,000 acres following widespread protests by farmers. Land acquisition was initiated without properly addressing statutory requirements, rehabilitation, or compensation. Farmers were offered only ₹12.50 lakh per acre, with no clarity on rehabilitation for displaced families, forcing many to approach the High Court. Even as these disputes remained unresolved, Chandrababu hurriedly laid the foundation stone on February 14, 2019, ahead of the elections, without securing the mandatory approvals or completing land acquisition.

After assuming office in 2019, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government secured all the required Central approvals, resolved long-pending legal disputes, and ensured justice to affected farmers by increasing compensation to between ₹28 lakh and ₹36 lakh per acre based on land classification. D-patta lands were also compensated on par with patta lands. As a result, many farmers withdrew their court cases, while the remaining disputes were resolved by the Supreme Court. The government scientifically rationalized the airport requirement to 2,750.78 acres, acquired the required land, earmarked about 2,203 acres for airport construction, and also completed land acquisition for the direct connectivity road and trumpet flyover linking the airport with the Chennai–Howrah National Highway. It was these decisions and actions that transformed Bhogapuram Airport from a stalled proposal into a project under execution.

Coalition Government Claims Credit for Projects Initiated Under YS Jagan

Many of the major infrastructure and industrial projects that the coalition government is now showcasing in North Andhra were, in fact, conceived, approved and set in motion during the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration. Projects such as the NTPC Green Hydrogen Hub, Nakkapalli Industrial Hub, Oberoi Hotel at Annavaram, Mayfair Hotel, Inorbit Mall, Adani Data Centre, Bhogapuram International Airport and Mulapeta Port all took shape through the policy decisions, approvals and groundwork laid by the previous government. By projecting these as its own achievements while ignoring the efforts that brought them to execution, the coalition government is engaging as an attempt to appropriate the credit for projects initiated under YS Jagan.

Bhogapuram Airport: From Vision to Execution Under YS Jagan

The Bhogapuram International Airport moved into the execution stage under the leadership of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. On May 3, 2023, the then Chief Minister laid the foundation stone after securing all statutory approvals and overcoming the legal hurdles that had stalled the project for years. The government completed land acquisition for nearly 2,751 acres, constructed fully equipped rehabilitation colonies at a cost of around ₹80 crore for 376 displaced families, allotted five cents of house site to each family along with ₹8.70 lakh in compensation, and paid an additional ₹18 crore to eligible farmers.

The government also ensured that construction by GMR, with an estimated project cost of nearly ₹5,000 crore, progressed rapidly. The first phase was designed to handle 6 million passengers annually, with a 3.8-kilometre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft. Construction of the airport perimeter wall was accelerated, while land acquisition and planning for the six-lane connectivity road between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram, including the trumpet interchange, were also completed during the YS Jagan administration.

Against this backdrop, the coalition government’s attempt to portray the entire project as its own achievement amounts to nothing more than an effort to claim credit for work substantially executed under the previous government.

Privatization of Public Projects

The coalition government is now attempting to hand over several public infrastructure projects initiated under the previous government—including ports, fishing harbours and government medical colleges—to private players through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Projects originally conceived as public assets are, it alleges, being shifted towards private commercial interests.

One such example cited is the Pudimadaka Fishing Harbour, where the government has decided to pursue a PPP model instead of constructing it directly. At the same time, the estimated project cost has reportedly been revised from ₹392 crore to ₹700 crore, drawing criticism that the sharp escalation in expenditure lacks adequate justification.

Government Medical Colleges Under Threat of Privatization

The YS Jagan government launched 17 new government medical colleges across Andhra Pradesh, completing five before the 2024 elections, including three in the backward North Andhra region.

While the Parvathipuram and Narsipatnam medical colleges were under construction, the Paderu Medical College was nearly complete and admitted its first batch during the 2024–25 academic year. However, although the institution was expected to receive 150 MBBS seats, inadequate infrastructure under the coalition government reportedly resulted in approval for only 50 seats, leaving 100 seats unavailable to students from the region.

Instead of completing the government medical colleges at Parvathipuram and Narsipatnam, the coalition government is attempting to shift them to the PPP model, thereby affecting affordable medical education and healthcare access for students and economically weaker sections in North Andhra.

Uddanam Kidney Project: From Model Initiative to Neglect

Uddanam was once synonymous with a severe kidney disease crisis that affected thousands of families for decades. Successive governments failed to provide a lasting solution until YS Jagan fulfilled a commitment made during his padayatra by establishing a comprehensive healthcare response.

The previous government established a Kidney Research Centre, built a 200-bed kidney specialty hospital at a cost of ₹85 crore, and implemented the YSR Sujaladhara Project with an investment of ₹700 crore to provide safe drinking water to 807 villages using 1.12 TMC of water. Healthcare services were also strengthened through six Community Health Centres, eighteen Primary Health Centres and five Urban Primary Health Centres across the seven Uddanam mandals, providing regular screening and treatment for kidney patients.

The coalition government has failed to maintain these facilities effectively. It claims that medical services have deteriorated, patients are facing increasing difficulties, and the drinking water infrastructure is no longer being managed properly. Despite serving as Chief Minister for 14 years, Chandrababu Naidu did not resolve the Uddanam crisis, while Pawan Kalyan raised the issue politically but did not pursue a lasting solution. It contends that the coalition government has now failed even to properly maintain the healthcare and water infrastructure created under the YS Jagan administration.

Development Projects Stalled, Public Assets Pushed Towards Privatization

The coalition government has also been halting or slowing several key healthcare, education and infrastructure projects initiated during the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration in North Andhra. Construction of the Seethampeta Multi-Specialty Hospital has reportedly been stopped, while work on the Parvathipuram Multi-Specialty Hospital has made little progress. The Kurupam Tribal Engineering College project has also been put on hold. Similarly, the Mulapeta Port, which was nearly one-fourth complete under the previous government, is now progressing slowly. Despite this, the coalition government continues to project the port as its own achievement. TDP misleading narratives are being created around the Rushikonda Tourism Project, turning North Andhra’s development into a casualty of political rivalry.

Government Lands Being Handed Over in the Name of Development

While the coalition government has failed to bring new development projects to North Andhra, it has aggressively transferred valuable government land to private corporate entities.

• Government land worth thousands of crores is being allotted at highly concessional prices.
• In some cases, private real estate companies are not only receiving valuable land but are also being extended financial support by the government.
• 13.74 acres of land valued at around ₹700 crore has been allotted to the Lulu Group.
• Using the name of TCS, land has allegedly been allotted to companies such as Raheja, Cognizant, Sattva, ANSR, Advanced System-in-Package Technologies, and Waaree Energy Storage Solutions.
• Around 54.79 acres of government land, valued at nearly ₹5,000 crore, has reportedly been allotted to GITAM University.
• 74 cents of land in Visakhapatnam, valued at about ₹15 crore, has allegedly been allotted to Aamoda Publications, associated with the management of Andhra Jyothy.
• Valuable land has also reportedly been allotted to Ursa, a relatively lesser-known company.
• More than 3,000 roadside vending units and small commercial structures in Visakhapatnam have been removed, affecting the livelihoods of thousands of families.

The coalition government is simultaneously weakening the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, with attempts to reduce employment, delays in salary payments, and pressure on employees to opt for voluntary retirement.

ArcelorMittal Project was initiated Under YS Jagan

The ArcelorMittal steel project, which the coalition government now highlights as its own achievement, was originally initiated during the YS Jagan administration.

Discussions with Aditya Mittal began during the 2022 World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. ArcelorMittal first entered Andhra Pradesh through investments in the Greenko renewable energy project. The company was subsequently shown potential project sites at Kakinada, Mulapeta and Nakkapalli, and before the 2024 elections, its representatives inspected the Nakkapalli region and identified it as a suitable location for the proposed steel plant.

The groundwork undertaken during its tenure is now being overlooked while the coalition government attempts to portray the project as its own initiative.

Bulk Drug Park Allowed to Lose Momentum

The Bulk Drug Park at Nakkapalli was secured during its tenure after Andhra Pradesh competed successfully with several other states. Along with Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh was selected by the Union Government for the project, and central financial assistance was approved.

Although sufficient land was available in the project area, the coalition government created avoidable disputes in the name of land acquisition, resulting in the project losing momentum and failing to progress as planned.

“North Andhra Deserves Development, Not Credit Politics”

The coalition government has established a pattern of abandoning welfare and development commitments, slowing projects initiated by the previous government, shifting public assets toward privatization, transferring valuable government land to corporate entities, and then claiming ownership of projects that were conceived and substantially executed during the YS Jagan administration.

Merely standing before projects initiated by the previous government and claiming them as new achievements cannot erase the historical record. It urges the coalition government to focus on completing and maintaining development projects instead of engaging in what it describes as “credit politics,” and calls on it to respond to the concerns of the people of North Andhra rather than relying on publicity campaigns.