Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s comment in Hyderabad on Thursday endorsing an earlier statement of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on the growing value of lands in Telangana evoked sharp reaction from YSR Congress party leaders in Andhra Pradesh.
KCR was recalling a statement of Naidu that in the past, Andhra people used to buy five to six acres of land in Telangana by selling one acre of land in Andhra. Now, people in Telangana are purchasing 50 acres of land in Andhra by selling one acre of land in Telangana.
“This only shows how much Telangana prospered after the bifurcation. The value of lands has gone up multifold,” KCR claimed.
Reacting sharply to KCR’s comments, Andhra industries minister Gudivada Amarnath said it was otherwise in Andhra. The value of lands in Andhra is much higher than in Telangana.
“In fact, if one sells an acre of land is sold in Achyutapuram area of Visakhapatnam, one can purchase 150 acres in Telangana. All areas in Andhra have witnessed significant development, as opposed to Telangana. Only Hyderabad has witnessed substantial growth,” Amarnath said.
The minister alleged that KCR was trying to defame the neighbouring states in a bid to gain political advantage in the upcoming elections.
YSRC general secretary and advisor to AP government Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, too, called KCR’s tall claims on Telangana a bluff.
“Forget Hyderabad, one should go to the villages of Telangana to know how backward they still are,” he said.