Andhra govt giving land at throwaway prices to pvt players in Vizag: YSRCP

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Dec 12 (PTI) YSRCP leader Gudivada Amarnath on Friday alleged that the TDP-led NDA coalition government is giving away prime land here at "throwaway prices" to corporates.

The opposition leader asserted that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is now repeating what YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had earlier said about the port city, hinting at Naidu's concentration on Vizag.

On Friday, Naidu laid the foundation stone for a Cognizant IT campus and eight more companies in Vizag entailing an investment of Rs 3,700 crore.

"The NDA coalition government is giving away prime land at throwaway prices in the port city and asserted what Jagan has been saying about Vizag is now being repeated by Naidu," said Amaranth, addressing a press conference here at YSRCP district office.

Infosys came to Visakhapatnam because of Reddy's initiative, asserted Amarnath, adding that even Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) entered the city owing to his efforts.

However, he claimed that the erstwhile YSRCP government never gave prime lands to real estate firms at inexpensive prices or promoted their residential ventures.

He claimed that while the Lulu Group spent crores of rupees to purchase land in Gujarat, it paid a nominal price in Andhra Pradesh.

Questioning the number of jobs created after the NDA alliance came to power, Amarnath quizzed about how much public money was spent on allegedly promoting IT Minister Nara Lokesh.

The YSRCP leader said that when Jagan proposed making Visakhapatnam the executive capital, a negative campaign was run against the idea, but now the same media is elevating the city, "proving his stand right".

Amarnath further alleged that Naidu is taking full credit while sidelining junior partners in the NDA coalition.

Meanwhile, there was no immediate reaction from the TDP. PTI MS STH SA