TDP leader and Minister Nara Lokesh launched a scathing attack on YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of misusing public funds to build a lavish mansion on Rushikonda Hills.
Comparing the former Chief Minister to Iraq’s dictator Saddam Hussein, Lokesh said Jagan believed he would rule Andhra Pradesh for 30 years.
"Rushikonda was originally a tourism department project, but it was converted into a 'Sheesh Mahal' (glass palace). Jagan thought he was the Saddam Hussein of Andhra Pradesh and that he would stay in power for decades," Lokesh said.
Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq from 1979 to 2003 under a totalitarian regime, widely blamed for mass killings and extreme repression.
Lokesh further ridiculed Jagan's opulence, stating, "My grandfather was the Chief Minister, my father is the Chief Minister, but I have never seen rooms of such size and luxury."
He also revealed that the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has imposed a ₹200 crore penalty on the state for violations related to the mansion’s construction.
Highlighting the excessive spending, Lokesh criticized Jagan for investing ₹700 crore into a mansion meant for just four people.
"Even the Prime Minister doesn’t have a house this big," he remarked, adding that the TDP government will decide the future of the palatial property.
Jagan, the son of former Andhra Pradesh CM Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, is also facing a family rift. His sister Y. S. Sharmila parted ways politically by joining the Congress, a move backed by their mother Y. S. Vijayalakshmi.
Following the TDP’s landslide victory in the Andhra Pradesh elections, the Naidu-led government has accused the previous administration of gross misuse of public funds.
The Chief Minister’s mansion, built during Jagan’s tenure, has come under scrutiny for its extravagance.
Spread over 10 acres in the scenic Rushikonda Hills, the complex comprises four blocks with Italian flooring, luxurious interiors, and plush furnishings.
With visuals of the opulent residence now circulating widely, the TDP government is preparing to take action, signaling a major political battle over public spending and accountability.
