On Sunday, residents of Andhra Pradesh were surprised when new images of the controversial ‘Rushikonda’ palace in Vishakapatnam surfaced online and on news channels. This palace was constructed by the previous government at a cost of around 500 crores.
Many were shocked to learn that such a large amount of government funds were used to build a residence for YS Jagan Mohan Reddy instead of utilizing it for tourism purposes as initially planned.
While Jagan Mohan Reddy is expected to face public criticism for this allocation of funds, former tourism minister Roja Selvamani is also under scrutiny. She granted permissions for the construction of the palace despite strong objections from opposition parties and interventions from the AP High Court, which opposed the demolition of tourism hilltop resorts in Rushikonda.
Despite widespread criticism for what is seen as a misuse of public funds, Roja has chosen to remain silent on the issue. It was reported that she quietly inaugurated the palace a few months before the elections, stating it would serve as the official residence for the Chief Minister in his second term.
Despite the public outcry after recent images of the palace interior emerged, the YSRCP defends its construction, stating it was intended for official purposes to accommodate visiting dignitaries in the state.