New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister designate YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Sunday alleged that there was a big land scam in new state Capital Amaravati as his predecessor N Chandrababu Naidu had resorted to “insider trading”.
Addressing a news conference in the National Capital, he said Naidu and his “benamis” (proxies) bought vast tracts of lands at throwaway prices in Amaravati by misleading people that the state Capital will come up at other places.
Terming it as a sensational scam, Reddy said the lands of Naidu and his “benamis” were also exempted from land pooling under which lands of farmers and others were acquired.
“Even under the land pooling, he paid compensation to whoever he wanted and at whatever rate he wanted,” said Reddy, who was in Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to discuss the issue of special category status and financial help to the `2.58 lakh crore debt-ridden state.
Reddy’s YSR Congress Party stormed to power in the state with a landslide victory Thursday, winning 151 seats in the 175-member Assembly.
Jagan, as the YSRCP leader is popularly known, is set to take oath as the chief minister May 30.
He said he would look into the scams that happened during Telugu Desam Party (TDP) rule. “I have nothing against Chandrababu Naidu but as the chief minister I am the custodian of the state.”
He also announced that wherever scams had taken place, he would cancel those works and go for “reserve tenders” to award the works to the lowest bidder after ensuring participation of more number of bidders in the tender process.
“We will tell people where the scams were happening and how much public money we are able to save.”
About the Polavaram project in which TDP government faced allegations of corruption, Jagan said he would cancel the works wherever irregularities were committed. He said completing the project in a time-bound manner with the Centre’s support would be his priority.
On his poll promise of prohibition, Jagan said this would be implemented in a phase-wise manner. Stating that his poll manifesto is like a holy scripture for him, the YSRCP leader said he would seek votes in 2024 only after limiting the sale of liquor to five-star hotels.
He said after the swearing-in, he would hold department-wise reviews and release white papers so that people know the factual position of every department.
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