MAVIGAN vs Amaravati: YS Jagan Unveils YSRCP’s Alternative Growth Blueprint

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday sharpened his attack on the ruling coalition government, alleging a collapse of law and order , political misuse of state institutions, and large-scale irregularities in the name of development. Significantly, he declared that the next Assembly elections would be fought on the issue of “MAVIGAN versus Amaravati,” positioning it as a defining contest over Andhra Pradesh’s future growth model.

Addressing a press conference at his camp office in Tadepalli, Jagan rejected claims that he was opposed to Amaravati . Instead, he said his opposition was directed at what he described as excessive expenditure, inflated contracts and corruption surrounding the capital city project. He unveiled MAVIGAN — the Machilipatnam-Vijayawada-Guntur corridor — as YSRCP’s alternative development vision, arguing that the region possesses strategic connectivity, port access, established infrastructure and strong economic potential.

Jagan said the MAVIGAN concept would be incorporated into the party’s manifesto and promoted as a model that prioritises balanced development over what he termed a capital-centric approach. The statement marks a fresh chapter in Andhra Pradesh’s long-running capital debate, which has remained one of the state's most contentious political issues since bifurcation.

Launching a broader attack on the government, Jagan alleged that the police machinery was being used as a tool for political vendetta . Raising the slogan “Hey Ram, Save Andhra,” he claimed that victims were increasingly being portrayed as accused persons while ruling-party supporters escaped accountability.

The former chief minister cited the alleged custodial death of Sai Krishna , claiming attempts were made to suppress facts related to the case. He also referred to incidents in several districts, alleging growing public fear of approaching police stations due to increasing instances of police excesses.

On social justice issues, Jagan reiterated YSRCP’s support for granting Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians , arguing that religious conversion does not erase social discrimination. He urged the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to clarify its position on the matter.

Jagan also accused the government of manipulating the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to target YSRCP supporters. He warned that wrongful deletion of voter names could potentially affect access to welfare benefits and democratic participation.

Turning to farmers’ concerns, he alleged that the coalition government had weakened the Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) and failed to provide adequate crop insurance, input subsidies and market support. He pointed to declining prices for tobacco and mango crops as evidence of official neglect.

The YSRCP chief further criticised the proposed Smart Kitchens initiative, claiming it could jeopardise the livelihoods of nearly 85,000 women engaged in cooking midday meals in government schools . He alleged that many workers had not received salaries for the past two months and accused the government of abandoning promises made to them before the elections.

With the capital debate returning to the political forefront, Jagan’s MAVIGAN-versus-Amaravati pitch signals that competing visions of development, governance and regional growth are likely to dominate Andhra Pradesh’s political discourse in the run-up to the next elections.