TDP and YSRCP Claim Credit for JSW Steel Plant in Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa

The launch of the Rs 18,000-crore JSW Steel plant in Kadapa, located in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, has triggered a political dispute between the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). Both parties are claiming credit for bringing the long-delayed project to fruition.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, speaking at the launch event in Sunnapurallapalle, described the plant as a landmark for Rayalaseema's future. He said his government had removed all obstacles that had stalled the investment. 'We promised to transform Rayalaseema into a land of prosperity, and we are proving it through action. Earlier, foundation stones were laid in 2019 and again in 2023, but not even a single layer of soil was excavated,' Naidu stated.

Naidu added that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government allocated 1,100 acres of land, resolved infrastructure issues, and secured all necessary clearances. The plant is expected to produce 2 million tonnes of steel in two phases, creating thousands of jobs and positioning Andhra Pradesh as a major steel-producing state. He also criticised the previous YSRCP government for failing to complete irrigation projects in Rayalaseema and for treating development projects as political events.

Former Chief Minister and YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy rejected Naidu's claims, asserting that the project was built on groundwork laid during his tenure. 'During our government, we finalised JSW as the project developer and laid the critical foundations necessary for the project to take shape. Environmental clearances, water allocation, land, road connectivity and key approvals were all secured during our tenure,' Reddy said. He alleged that work had come to a 'grinding halt' over the past two years but welcomed the project's restart, emphasising that 'development is a continuous process that transcends political boundaries.'

The political exchange intensified as both parties traded accusations. YSRCP senior leader Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy accused the TDP government of 'credit theft,' claiming that Jagan Reddy had already laid the foundation stone in 2023 and that the current government was merely rebranding an existing project. In response, TDP national spokespersons Deepak Reddy and Jyothsna Tirunagari said the previous government had held multiple foundation stone ceremonies without making meaningful progress.

The Kadapa steel plant has a long history. In 2007, the then Congress government led by YS Rajasekhara Reddy launched the Brahmani Steel Plant, but the project collapsed after the Obulapuram mining controversy. Following Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation in 2014, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act directed the central government to examine setting up an integrated steel plant in Kadapa. However, the central government later deemed the project financially non-viable, sparking protests across Rayalaseema.