Andhra Pradesh: Jagan and Sharmila fight it out over Visakhapatnam
The Congress, Sharmila says, has plans ready to develop the city well enough so that it can compete with Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru in a decade
Who will develop the port city of Visakhapatnam as Andhra Pradesh’s administrative capital? Chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy insists that he will take his oath in the city and rule from there if his party is voted to power again in Assembly elections. If Jagan is so committed to Visakhapatnam, why hasn’t he made it the administrative capital yet, asks his sister and now state Congress president YS Sharmila.
Shining Visakhapatnam
She too promised to take oath in Visakhapatnam if the Congress returns to power in Andhra Pradesh. And the Congress, she says, has plans to develop the city well enough so that it can compete with Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru in a decade. The debate over Visakhapatnam is part and parcel of the political heat one is witnessing now in Andhra Pradesh with the state poised to see both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Sister vs brother
Sharmila, who recently joined the Congress, is going hammer and tongs at her brother. She asks at public meetings what Jagan had done during his five years of rule except to cheat and lie to the people.
She alleged that all the big companies were leaving the state but no step has been taken to stop their flight.
Jagan’s silence
She attributed the lack of development in Visakhapatnam to Jagan's lack of commitment. The Congress leader also questioned Jagan's silence on issues like the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and the railway zone.