Jagan govt driving away companies: Chandrababu Naidu

AMARAVATI: A day after Amara Raja Batteries announced plans to invest Rs 9,500 crore in Telangana to set up research and manufacturing facilities for lithium-ion battery, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday alleged that Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in Andhra Pradesh is driving away companies.

Amara Raja, whose chairman and managing director is TDP MP Galla Jayadev, on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Telangana.

Former chief minister Naidu said in a span of 4 decades, Amara Raja became become the pride of Andhra Pradesh by creating direct and indirect employment to over 1 lakh families in Rayalaseema region.

The 1 billion dollar company is now leaving its home state and looking out for opportunities in neighboring states that are more than happy to host with Rs 9,500 crore as investment, he said.

“Through its state-sponsored terrorism, YSRCP is achieving its goal to kill both jobs and economy. When states are competing with each other to attract companies, Andhra Pradesh is earning a notorious reputation for driving away companies, taking back lands, harassing them with raids and refusal of permissions,” tweeted the former chief minister.

He alleged that in the case of Amara Raja, the Jagan government went a step further by stopping power supply to its plants.

He said even court orders have been disrespected with non-compliance. Just for the sake of harassing a political opponent, the Jagan government is destroying the state’s reputation and potential, he said.

“He will not be forgiven for his betrayal of people’s mandate. History will not be kind to this monster of a man,” added Naidu.

Meanwhile, YSRCP has hit back at Chandrababu Naidu.

YSRCP parliamentary party leader V. Vijayasai Reddy wondered if Chandrababu Naidu can’t even persuade his own MPs to invest in Andhra Pradesh, how can he talk about getting foreign investments to the state.

“The 9,500 crore investment of Amara Raja Batteries in Telangana shows the opportunism of TDP leaders,” said the Rajya Sabha member.