Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday alleged that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu wanted to set up a gated community for the rich in Amaravati while keeping out the poor without basic human rights.

Reddy contrasted his bete-noire for his anti-poor stance with his government’s decision to distribute 50,000 house pattas among the poor in Amaravati on 26 May.

The state government had made changes in the Amaravati’s master plan last year in order to include R5 zone where poor people would be given house pattas for constructing affordable houses. However, the Amaravati farmers who had given up their land for pooling for the greenfield capital during the TDP regime opposed the state government’s move and sought the intervention of the court. But the Supreme Court recently refused to give a stay on the distribution of house pattas.

TDP leaders have pointed out that the state government under Reddy was trying to bring in poor people who are not inhabitants of the area by distributing the house pattas in order to create their own vote bank. The distribution of house patta among the poor will not only fetch much needed votes for YSRCP in the area but also make it difficult for TDP to reverse the changes and renew the capital city project if the TDP was voted to power next year.

The chief minister, after formally commencing the work for construction of Machilipatnam port, hit back at former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu who had come up with the idea of a greenfield capital for Andhra Pradesh.

“The government has already provided houses to 31 lakh people across the state and will work towards making Amaravati a city of equality for all people, irrespective of their caste, creed or economic status,” said Reddy.

Chandrababu lacks basic humanity and that’s why he compared a home meant for the poor to a grave. Shame on him for this comparison, he alleged.

Reddy dared Naidu to cite one instance where he had made a difference to the lives of the poor. He claimed that the scheme was aimed at providing decent living to the poor in Amaravati. He also assured that Amaravati will be developed into a smart city with modern amenities.

Meanwhile, the TDP mocked the chief minister for not being able to complete the port in four years after Naidu laid the foundation stone in February 2019 just before elections. However, Reddy said his government made the port a reality after completing land acquisition, finalising the tender process and completing financial closure besides procuring all required permissions after resolving legal hurdles set up by Naidu. He said the deep sea port to be built at the cost of Rs5156 crore will completely transform the face of the Krishna district.