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With the first validation flight landing successfully at Bhogapuram Greenfield International Airport on Sunday, January 4, a war of words broke out between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) over who should get credit for the project.
While TDP, which is heading the ruling coalition, claimed the credit for the airport, Opposition YSRCP dubbed Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu ‘credit chor’. Former Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy posted that with the first flight landing at Bhogapuram airport, Andhra Pradesh accelerates on its growth runway, marking a significant milestone for Vision Vizag.
“Congratulations to the GMR Group for their exceptional efforts. During our tenure expedited permissions, timely approvals and land acquisition including relief and rehabilitation (R&R) with an outlay of close to Rs 960 crore helped lay a strong foundation for steady progress. A significant portion of the project work was completed, which has been instrumental in achieving this milestone. I also fondly recall the efforts and contribution of Nitin Gadkari Ji in approving the Bhogapuram Airport Bypass National Highway project in March 2023, connecting Visakhapatnam Port with Bhogapuram International Airport,” wrote the YSRCP president.
Following this post, both the parties resorted to a slugfest. YSRCP recalled that Chandrababu Naidu had laid the foundation stone for the airport in a hurry and without required permissions just before 2019 elections for the sake of votes.
“Weren't you the one who performed the foundation laying without any permissions, Chandrababu? Did you acquire the land for Bhogapuram Airport? Did you pay compensation to those who lost their lands? Did you provide rehabilitation to anyone? Did you undertake road construction? How can you claim all the glory without doing anything,” the YSRCP asked.
The opposition party claimed that after YS Jagan Mohan Reddy became the Chief Minister in 2019, he brought the court cases related to the airport to a close and paid compensation ranging from Rs 28 lakh to 36 lakh per acre.
“Isn't it a fact that all permissions were obtained for the construction of Bhogapuram International Airport, and on May 3, 2023, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy garu performed the ground-breaking ceremony,” asked the YSRCP.
Chandrababu Naidu’s son and state minister Nara Lokesh hit back at YSRCP by posting video clips of Jagan Mohan Reddy’s speeches opposing Bhogapuram airport. “YSRCP should feel ashamed to even speak about it,” he remarked.
The TDP cited Jagan Mohan Reddy’s reported words that anyone with a brain wouldn't build the Bhogapuram airport. “The brainless words that your brainless Jagan said are known to the whole world,” the party said in a post on X.
It claimed that Bhogapuram airport is Chandrababu Naidu's vision, his idea and his brainchild. It remarked that people know who is shameless and who lacks intelligence. The TDP said no one with any sense would believe the bogus claims made by YSRCP.