TDP accuses YSRCP of trying to stall investment projects
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) state president Palla Srinivasa Rao on Monday accused the YSR Congress Party of attempting to stall development projects that could create large-scale employment for the youth of Andhra Pradesh.
His remarks came after Maddila Gurumoorthy of the YSRCP filed a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court. The petition challenges the proposed Google Artificial Intelligence hub and data centre planned in Visakhapatnam. Srinivasa Rao said the move reflects a broader political strategy to derail major investments in the state.
He claimed that several industries left Andhra Pradesh during the five-year tenure of the YSRCP government. According to him, about 913 companies exited the state during that period. This trend weakened investor confidence and slowed industrial growth, he said.
Srinivasa Rao added that the rise in investment proposals under the present government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has triggered “politically motivated attempts” to stall projects through legal challenges. He recalled that former minister Gudivada Amarnath had earlier challenged the state’s land policy in court.
The TDP leader also alleged that several companies that entered the state between 2014 and 2019 later withdrew during the YSRCP administration. He named firms such as Tata Consultancy Services, ancillary units linked to Kia Motors, Franklin Templeton, HSBC, LuLu Group International, APP Paper Industries, and Singapore Starliners.
He alleged that the state lost investment proposals worth nearly ₹10 lakh crore during the previous regime. This, he said, resulted in fewer job opportunities for the youth. “The previous government spoke extensively about welfare, but development remained absent,” Srinivasa Rao said.
He described the proposed AI infrastructure project by Google in Visakhapatnam as a major initiative. The project involves an estimated investment of ₹1.35 lakh crore. It aims to position the city as a major AI hub in India.
Srinivasa Rao also said that global technology firms such as Tata Consultancy Services, Cognizant, and K Raheja Corp are expanding their presence in Visakhapatnam.