Making a significant observation that has ignited debates among political circles, BJP MP Etela Rajender complimented the fast growth of Andhra Pradesh, terming it a model state of growth with or without its post-bifurcation issues. Addressing a press interaction at the BJP state office in Hyderabad on Telangana Formation Day, Etela pointed out the different growth paths of the Telugu states.
Referring to Andhra Pradesh’s progress after 2014, Etela stated that the state had registered nearly nothing—not even a befitting capital city like Hyderabad—yet it has been able to move ahead on the path to growth. He clarified that it was not a politically charged statement, but an objective assessment and comparison based on facts.
Etela shared the credit for the state’s quick recovery from its post-bifurcation challenges to former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership for four years, from 2014 to 2019. Even though the development process slowed in the last YSRCP government, he noted that Naidu’s return to office has fired up investor confidence and administrative momentum again.
In less than a year after Chandrababu Naidu returned to power, Andhra Pradesh has attracted ₹8.5 lakh crore of investment proposals. If they materialize, they could generate as much as 7 lakh new jobs,” Etela said. He also appreciated the ongoing efforts to expedite the Amaravati capital city project, which had languished for years.
Contrarily, the veteran BJP leader criticized Telangana’s developmental slowdown by saying that with more than enough resources and the highest per capita income in the country, the state is still yet to unleash its potential. He was disappointed with the performance of the former BRS government as well as the present Congress government and blamed the two for getting mired in the cul-de-sacs of blame politics and political competition.
Etela urged the Congress-led Telangana government to shift its focus from vendetta politics to inclusive development. “If resources are properly utilized and governance is free of political grudges, Telangana can progress like a rocket,” he said, calling for visionary leadership and strategic planning to guide the state forward.