Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday, 29 July accused incumbent Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of appropriating credit for the Bhogapuram Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport ahead of its inauguration, asserting that every critical milestone was achieved under the YSRCP government's tenure. Jagan alleged that Naidu, who had made no substantive contribution to the project, was now seeking all the recognition.

What Jagan Said

In a post on X, Jagan wrote: 'A project built by one, but claimed by another, that's the story of Bhogapuram Airport. The work was done by YSRCP. The publicity belongs to Chandrababu! Credit without contribution: That is Chandrababu's brand of politics.'

He further charged that apart from laying a foundation stone hurriedly — just a month before the 2019 elections — Naidu had no involvement in the project. Jagan listed the milestones completed under his government: signing the concession agreement with GMR in June 2020, land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) for displaced families from four villages, site clearance, obtaining NOCs and security clearances, and arranging water supply, power supply, and internal roads.

The Financial Outlay Jagan Cited

According to Jagan, the YSRCP government invested a total of ₹1,200 crore in the project, broken down as follows: ₹967 crore on land acquisition and R&R; ₹75 crore for water supply; ₹134.5 crore for infrastructure; ₹7.29 crore for alternative roads; and ₹2.35 crore for the substation. He claimed that it was this groundwork — completed despite the COVID-19 pandemic — that allowed runway construction to reach a crucial stage by the 2024 elections and enabled his government to announce a June 2026 target for flight operations.

Road Connectivity Concerns

Jagan also criticised Naidu over the absence of adequate road connectivity between Visakhapatnam city and the airport. He recalled that his government had secured Central Government sanction for a 55-km, six-lane highway — 77 metres wide and costing ₹6,300 crore — to provide fast access to the airport, with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari personally announcing the sanction at the foundation-stone event.

'Mr. Chandrababu, your party is in power at the Centre, and you are also in power in the State. Yet, even after two years, there has been no progress on this road. Today, passengers travelling to Bhogapuram Airport are forced to undergo immense hardship,' Jagan said, according to his post.

Political Context

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led government under Naidu returned to power in Andhra Pradesh after the 2024 state elections, defeating the YSRCP. The Bhogapuram airport inauguration has become the latest flashpoint in the bitter rivalry between the two leaders. Jagan, now in opposition, has used the occasion to draw a sharp contrast between what he describes as his government's execution record and what he characterises as Naidu's tendency to claim credit for others' work. At nearly 80 years of age, Naidu has not yet publicly responded to these specific charges, according to available reports. How the ruling dispensation addresses the road connectivity gap — and whether it accelerates the ₹6,300 crore highway project — will be closely watched as the airport begins operations.