“Saddam Hussein of Andhra”: Minister Nara Lokesh Jabs Jagan Reddy
"My father is the Chief Minister, and my grandfather was the Chief Minister, but I have never seen such large rooms," Nara Lokesh remarked.
New Delhi: In the midst of the controversy surrounding his opulent Rushikonda Hills mansion, TDP leader and minister Nara Lokesh attacked YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy today, saying he believed he was Andhra Pradesh’s Saddam Hussein and would rule for 30 years.
Before it was turned into a “sheesh mahal,” it was a project of the Andhra Pradesh tourism department. Mr. Lokesh is the son of TDP leader and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy believed he was the “Saddam Hussain” of Andhra Pradesh and that he would hold onto power for 30 years.
From 1979 until 2003, Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq as its dictator. The Ba’ath party leader is blamed for mass murders and a host of other repressive actions, and his government is generally viewed as totalitarian.
“I have never seen such large rooms, even though my father is the Chief Minister and my grandfather was the Chief Minister. The state was also hit with fines of Rs 200 crores by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, and’sheesh mahal’ was constructed there,” he said.
According to Mr. Lokesh, the head of the YSRCP has a small family. “His mother and sister are no longer part of the family. The cost of a house for four people was Rs 700 crore. He added, “The TDP government will make a decision on what to do with the palatial house. Even the Prime Minister doesn’t have such a big house.”
Jagan Mohan Reddy, the son of the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, had a falling out with his sister, YS Sharmila, because she had decided to join the Congress. YS Vijayalakshmi, the mother of the siblings, has supported her daughter.
The Chandrababu Naidu government has accused the previous government of egregious mismanagement of public funds after the TDP’s resounding victory and return to power in the Andhra elections last year.
The lavishness of the Chief Minister’s residence, which was put into service during Mr. Reddy’s administration, has drawn attention. The property consists of four blocks and spans 10 acres in the picturesque Rushikonda Hills, a popular tourist destination. Images taken inside the complex have shown opulent interiors, luxurious furnishings, and Italian flooring.
