North Andhra People Migrated for Work When Naidu Ruled AP: Appalaraju

Addressing the media in Palasa, the minister said no development had taken place in the north Andhra region when Chandrababu ruled the state. This forced the poor labourers to migrate to other states in search of employment, he said.

“Instead of development, the TD leader converted the north Andhra region into a capital for ganja smuggling. The leaders themselves admitted that a former minister’s son was involved in such smuggling,’’ Appala Raju said.

Calling Naidu a curse for north Andhra, the minister said much of the development had taken place under the rule of the YSRC led by chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Work was going on at a fast pace for the Bhogapuram International Airport, the Mulapeta Sea Port etc, he said.

“This government has completed the Hiramandalam lift irrigation project to supply drinking water to Uddanam. The work is on for Vamsadhara Stage2 after completing Stage1 and other development works.”

He said the chief minister was also working to speed up the Metro Rail project for Visakhapatnam, the fish landing centre at Pudimadaka in Anakapalli district and a bulk drug project near Nakkapalli

“Can Chandrababu cite one project or industry that he started in North Andhra,’’ he asked.

The minister said 28 central institutes were sanctioned in Andhra Pradesh after the 2014 state bifurcation but “Naidu failed to get one for north Andhra.”

“When Jagan Mohan Reddy took over as chief minister, there were 3.4 lakh permanent government jobs. In three years, except for the Covid period of two years, he created 2.8 lakh more. Chandrababu filled only 34,000 job vacancies in his five-year term,” the minister said.