Amaravati Not People’s Capital but Profit Venture: MP Midhun Reddy

YSR Congress Party Lok Sabha floor leader PV Midhun Reddy launched a scathing attack on the Chandrababu Naidu government, stating that Amaravati has been reduced to a massive real estate scam driven by benamis and backdoor dealings, with public money being looted in the name of capital construction.

Participating in the debate on the AP Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill – 2026, Midhun Reddy asserted that Amaravati is not being built as a people’s capital but as a profit-making venture for a select few, exposing before the nation the insider trading that took place even before the capital was officially announced, where thousands of acres were purchased from poor farmers at throwaway prices by those with prior information. He questioned the irrational scale of land acquisition, pointing out that while Delhi spans around 10,500 acres, Amaravati was expanded to nearly 1 lakh acres, burdening farmers unnecessarily, many of whom are yet to receive returnable plots even after a decade, pushing some into extreme distress.

Highlighting financial irregularities, Midhun Reddy said that while construction costs in cities like Delhi are around Rs. 4,000 per square foot, the Andhra Pradesh government is claiming over Rs. 12,000 per square foot in Amaravati, despite raw materials like sand being freely available, raising serious questions about where the additional Rs. 8,000 per square foot is going. He noted that tenders worth Rs. 55,000 crore have already been floated, indicating large-scale misuse of public funds, and demanded immediate intervention by the Centre. He further said that the government betrayed farmers who gave 34,000 acres under land pooling in 2015 with promises of developed plots, education, and housing benefits, none of which have been fulfilled even after seven years of Chandrababu governance, reflecting a complete lack of intent and accountability.

Midhun Reddy also criticised the broader financial approach, stating that while the government is struggling to pay salaries on time, it continues to push a capital project requiring lakhs of crores, raising doubts about its viability. He strongly opposed the amendment bill, stating that it legitimises injustice to farmers and facilitates corruption, while reiterating that YSRCP is not against Amaravati but firmly against the exploitation and misuse of public resources in its name. Raising concerns over national commitments, he pointed out that Special Category Status has been abandoned and that restrictions on the Polavaram project could lead to massive financial losses to the state, further compounding economic stress.

Reaffirming the party’s stance, he emphasised that decentralisation of development remains YSRCP’s core policy, citing global examples of multiple-capital models, and argued that concentrating massive investments in a single region is neither practical nor equitable. Concluding his address, Midhun Reddy declared that the party would continue to fight against corruption and injustice, following which all YSRCP MPs staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha in protest against the bill, even as ruling party members attempted to disrupt his speech.