Anam slams Jagan over Juvvaladinne harbour remarks

Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on Wednesday criticised YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for his remarks against Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu over alleged “privatisation of fishing harbours” and his comments on the Sagar Defence Engineering shipyard at Juvvaladinne in Nellore district.

Speaking to the media at the TDP central office near Mangalagiri, the Minister said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had no moral authority to comment on fishing harbour projects. He alleged that the former Chief Minister inaugurated the Juvvaladinne harbour in 2019–24 before its completion and followed a similar approach in irrigation projects.

“The TDP–Jana Sena–BJP alliance has come to power with the trust of the people. We have 164 MLAs, while the YSRCP has just 11. What right do you have to warn Mr. Naidu?” he asked, advising the YSRCP not to politicise issues related to fisherfolk.

Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to Juvvaladinne had not produced any constructive outcome, except what he described as baseless criticism of the government.

He alleged that the former Chief Minister had a pattern of claiming credit for incomplete projects, adding that several harbours and infrastructure works were inaugurated during the YSRCP regime but remained unfinished.

On the Juvvaladinne project, the Minister clarified that about half of the harbour land had been allotted to Sagar Defence Engineering to create employment opportunities for youth from fishermen families. He said this did not amount to the privatisation of harbours.

He also rejected Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s claim that the previous government had developed ports and harbours worth ₹26,000 crore, calling it baseless.