Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced on Saturday that he will initiate a public debate about the future of a lavish Rs 450-crore mansion built on Rushikonda Hill during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government.
The Chief Minister along with ministers and MLAs visited the Rushikonda Palace, which is built on 61 acres overlooking the Bay of Bengal in Visakhapatnam, and features ultra-luxurious amenities like Italian marble, 200 chandeliers, 12 bedrooms, and a sea view.
Addressing the media, he stated that the entire structure had violated the laws of the land concerned. Naidu blamed Jagan Mohan Reddy for destroying the environment to fulfill his “whims and fancies”.
“Earlier, no one, including the media, was allowed to visit the construction site. It was a highly guarded secret. The YSRCP government also misled and misguided the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Supreme Court, and the High Court,” Chandrababu Naidu said.
Naidu expressed dismay, noting the project was initially labelled as a tourism initiative, later redefined as a guest house for dignitaries like the Prime Minister.
Naidu slammed the former Chief Minister for “reckless public spending”.
“It’s astonishing to see such opulence. Even kings wouldn’t construct offices of this grandeur,” Naidu said, highlighting the mansion’s 300-member conference hall, 100 kv power substation, and a Rs 36 lakh bathtub.
Naidu remarked that the funds could have financed crucial irrigation projects in North Andhra.
As he plans to disclose more details to the public, Naidu called for an open discussion to find out a sensible path forward for the estate.
