Express News Service By

HYDERABAD: The contentious rivalry between the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have taken a new turn as both are treading two different paths to develop their states. If a cash-rich K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) is on a spending spree to realise his dream of ‘Bangaru Telangana’ (Golden Telangana), his Andhra counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu has become a globe-trotter to raise money for the cash-starved state which has been left with empty coffers post-bifurcation.

A confident KCR is trying to outdo Naidu in implementing his poll promises. For instance, KCR has already waived loans for some farmers in the new state, which has become a bugbear for Naidu. As Andhra Pradesh is almost bankrupt, the chief minister is knocking on the doors of every potential investor across the borders to achieve his dream of ‘Swarnandhra’ (Golden Andhra).

Besides urging corporate giants to donate liberally for the reconstruction of the state as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, Naidu has even given a call to the people of the state to donate, however minuscule it may be, for the construction of the new capital.

While KCR plans to develop Hyderabad into another Istanbul and other parts of the city on the lines of Bangkok, a desperate Naidu is visiting different countries to attract investors to ease the financial burden of the state. During his recent tour to Singapore, he had asked the government there to prepare a master plan for the construction of the new capital, besides persuading some big-ticket companies in the Island Nation to invest in Andhra Pradesh. After that, he also visited Japan and tried to coax investors to establish industries in the state.

“As the then UPA government had done grave injustice to the state by not addressing its financial problems, I am left with no option but to scout for fiscal assistance. AP has `16,000 crore revenue deficits. In order to overcome this, I am putting in all efforts to bring investments to the state,” said Naidu. He is planning to visit the United States and China to meet his objectives.

Contrary to Naidu, an affluent KCR had spent `300 crore to purchase high-end cars and motor bikes to materialise his ambitious plans to get an ‘international brand image’ for the Telangana police on the lines of New York Police Department.

He also plans to build the world’s tallest tower—taller than Dubai’s Burj Khalifa—besides dotting the surroundings of the historic Hussainsagar Lake in Hyderabad with skyscrapers. The statue, to be named after CPI(M) icon Puchalapalli Sundarayya, will stand taller than Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious project of the world’s largest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Ahmedabad.

KCR, however, does not want to end his spending spree here. A city dotted with skyscrapers need good roads. Hence, he wants five or six integrated skyways with multiple layers of flyovers in the city.

The Telangana chief minister also wants more than 100 per cent hike in salary of MLAs and MLCs. The government also plans to give allowances to MPs representing the state and increase pensions of former MLAs and MLCs.

If his wish is fulfilled, the government will have to bear a burden of `75 crore for five years but the chief minister doesn’t want to go back on his decision. “If I want my MLAs to be honest, I have to look after them,” he said.

Interestingly, both KCR and Naidu are being ridiculed by their political opponents. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister’s efforts to attract investments by undertaking tours across the globe are being criticised by the Congress and YSR Congress. APCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy wanted to know why Naidu is splurging money on foreign tours when the state is passing through a financial crisis. YSRC spokesperson Ambati Rambabu questioned, “Is it right for Naidu to visit Singapore by a chartered flight at a time when the state is reeling under severe economic crisis?”

In Telangana, KCR’s grand plans to construct the world’s tallest tower in Hyderabad are being ridiculed by his political rivals too. “KCR is creating a hype only to divert public attention from his failure to fulfil his poll promises. He is simply promising the moon to commoners to hoodwink them,” said Telangana PCC Chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah.