Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday, May 28, categorically dismissed media reports and political allegations suggesting that he sought the relocation of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility from Karnataka to his state.
Speaking at the Mahanadu or annual conclave of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Kadapa, he clarified that his appeal to the Centre was solely focused on establishing a defence manufacturing hub in Andhra Pradesh and not on shifting existing institutions from other states.
"I never asked for the HAL located in Bengaluru to be shifted to Andhra Pradesh. It’s a massive, strategic facility - such institutions can’t and shouldn’t be moved. I have never sought the relocation of any project from one region to another, and such an idea is not part of my history," Naidu said while addressing the delegates.
He emphasised that Lepakshi in Anantapur district is highly suitable for setting up aircraft manufacturing and defence-related industries. "I had earlier highlighted Lepakshi’s potential, but unfortunately, some politicians in Karnataka misunderstood this as an attempt to shift HAL to Andhra Pradesh," he said.
Earlier, Karnataka’s Minister for Large and Medium Industries, MB Patil, had objected to reports that Chandrababu allegedly proposed relocating Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) production units from Bengaluru to Andhra Pradesh.
While acknowledging Andhra Pradesh’s right to seek new HAL facilities as part of future expansion plans, he also described any move to shift existing units from Karnataka as “not just unfair, it’s alarming.”