YSRCP accuses A.P. CM of stealing credit for Bhogapuram airport

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) State coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of stealing credit for the construction of the Bhogapuram airport, claiming that 80% of the physical progress has been achieved during the YSRCP’s tenure between 2019 and 2024.

“Only 20% of the works were done after the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance came to power. However, Mr. Naidu will not admit it for obvious reasons,” he said, while alleging that the Chief Minister also stole the credit for the steel plant project in Rayalaseema. 

Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office on Saturday, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said Mr. Naidu has nothing to showcase. “It is his habit to take credit for the accomplishments of others. Mr. Naidu, Deputy CM K. Pawan Kalyan and other leaders have been falsely attributing certain statements related to Bhogapuram airport to Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as part of their political gameplan,” he said.  

There were protests by farmers against the acquisition of thousands of acres for the airport, but the dissenting voices were suppressed, he alleged.

Mr. Naidu got Bhoomi Puja for the airport done just before the 2019 elections but almost the entire execution was done by then YSRCP government, he said.

Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy could have inaugurated the airport hurriedly but did not do so. “It was during the YSRCP’s tenure that Central clearances for the airport project were obtained, land acquisition was completed and substantial progress had been achieved. The works were launched in 2023 and 80% of them were completed before the 2024 elections, the YSRCP leader said, adding that the airport would have become operational in 2020–21 if the COVID pandemic had not come.