The YSR Congress Party on Monday strongly criticized the Chandrababu Naidu-led government in Andhra Pradesh for its lack of transparency in awarding contracts for various works in the Amaravati capital city.
The party accused the government of nepotism and institutionalizing corruption in the process.
Speaking to the media, senior YSRCP leader and former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy said the coalition government had eliminated judicial oversight and the reverse tendering system, which previously ensured checks and balances in the bidding process and was even praised by NITI Aayog.
He alleged that contracts for Amaravati’s capital construction works were awarded to individuals close to Naidu, with the introduction of the mobilization advance method.
A total of 59 packages were reportedly awarded to just eight companies, all of which are said to have ties to Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP. Kakani claimed this was a blatant misuse of public funds.
He further alleged that between 2014 and 2019, Naidu had implemented a similar system, where syndicates were formed to secure contracts, enabling TDP leaders to receive kickbacks.
“The same institutions are now actively involved in Amaravati’s works,” he said.
Kakani highlighted that during Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure as chief minister, the state saved â¹7,500 crore through the reverse tendering system.
He said the inclusion of judicial preview and reverse tendering introduced transparency and accountability, preventing the formation of syndicates.
“In contrast, the current coalition government has scrapped both judicial preview and reverse tendering and is awarding contracts at inflated rates solely for kickbacks — an extensive misuse of public money. Similar irregularities occurred in the Pattiseema project and others in the past,” the former minister added.