What about this expenditure, Mr Naidu?

A couple of days ago, Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu made a big hungama with his tweet, alleging that the YSRC government had spent a whopping Rs 15.65 crore on providing various facilities for the official bungalow of YSRC president and chief minster Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

It became a big news in the national media as well, as they always take Naidu seriously as they used to do when he was the chief minister. That was the media management he does.

But what Naidu conveniently ignored was the way the state government had splurged huge amounts on sprucing up his own residences, camp offices and bungalows when he was in power between 2014 to 2019.

If one looks at a series of government orders issued during his regime, one would be surprised that his government had spent more than Rs 26 crore on furnishings, repairs, renovations, purchases of various kind and security installations at his Jubilee Hills residence, Lake View Guest House, his Madinaguda house (in Hyderabad), besides his camp office in Vijayawada and his residence at Vundavalli.

Besides, another Rs 4.41 crore were spent for purchase of various items, including handicrafts from Lepakshi Emporium for Naidu’s camp office at No. 1, Janpath, New Delhi.