PM Narendra Modi should have associated with Amaravati project says Chandrababu Naidu

 Amravati: Charging the Prime Minister with reneging on promise to financially support building of the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said Amaravati project is a national pride and PM Narendra Modi should have "at least" associated with it.

Naidu, a former BJP ally who quit the NDA early this year over the Centre's refusal to grant special category status to AP, said the BJP was not associating with the greenfield project due to "political reasons".

Asserting that the capital city is being developed at a faster pace, the chief minister said that any change of government in the state is unlikely to affect the works as a "solid eco-system" has been put in place. 

"The Amaravati project is a national pride and I wish the prime minister had associated with it. 

Why cannot the Centre share the pride by getting associated with it? Because of political reasons, they are not able to associate with it," Naidu said.

" Modi had laid the foundation stone for the capital city of Amaravati in October 2015 amid much fanfare but "he later went back on his promise to provide funds for the project," he said. 

"I developed Hyderabad as an IT hub. Former prime ministers always used to praise the city as a national pride....Why cannot Modi do it?" Naidu said.

On the progress of new capital, the chief minister said roads, office buildings and courts are coming up at a pace never done before. 

About Rs 3,400 crore has been spent on the project so far including Rs 1,500 crore from the Centre and Rs 1,000 crore from the neighbouring Telangana.