'Believed he would be in power for 30 years': Nara Lokesh likens Jagan to Saddam Hussein over Rushikonda palace

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh likened former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to Saddam Hussein for allegedly turning small tourism department villas into a palace on Rushikonda hill in Visakhapatnam.

The IT minister noted that the YSRCP leader 'thought that he would be in power for 30 years', prompting him to build the palace and eventually depriving tourists of a beautiful beach view.

"Reddy, believing he would remain in power for 30 years and thinking he was Saddam Hussein of Andhra, turned it into a massive palace. He built three grand structures - one for himself and two for his daughters - along with a special camp office for his wife," Lokesh told PTI Videos on Wednesday night.

The former Iraqi dictator is known for constructing beautiful palaces and enjoying a luxurious lifestyle.

Lokesh's remarks came on the sidelines of inaugurating an automobile manufacturing plant near Vijayawada.

These (Palace) constructions featured large halls, expansive rooms, expensive Italian marble, and luxurious fittings, all funded by public money. Additionally, a massive house was built for his 1,000 security personnel, as Jagan always lived in fear, Lokesh alleged.

According to the minister, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has spent Rs 500 crore on the said palace, and added that the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has imposed a Rs 200 crore penalty for cutting down a beautiful hill for its construction.

Along with the penalty, Lokesh said the total cost has reached Rs 700 crore.

"All for just four people, while his (Jagan) mother and sister were excluded from the family. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have such a grand palace," he added.