Corruption, favouritism and nepotism – have become very common in any government in Andhra Pradesh, whether it was of the previous YSR Congress party headed by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy or the present Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government headed by N Chandrababu Naidu.
During his earlier stint, Naidu terminated the contract with Transstroy India Ltd, promoted by ex-MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, for executing the Polavaram project and entrusted the work to Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd promoted by Chinta Vishweshwar Rao, a prominent Kamma industrialist closely related to Naidu’s media guru Ch Ramoji Rao.
After Jagan came to power in 2019, he cancelled the agreement with Navayuga and roped in Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd, promoted by prominent Reddy industrialist Krishna Reddy, to take up the Polavaram project.
Now, Naidu is back to power in the state.
Though he did not cancel the Polavaram contract awarded to Megha Krishna Reddy, he has been granting huge favours to Navayuga Vishweshwara Rao, who has come up with different power projects under the banner of Chinta Group.
Take the case of Chinta Green Energy Private Ltd, floated by Navayuga Vishweshwar Rao. It was incorporated on January 17, 2025 and was registered under the Registrar of Companies (ROC), Delhi, rather than Hyderabad or Andhra Pradesh.
Since its formation, Chinta Green Energy has rapidly secured multiple power project allocations — running into several thousand megawatts — from the State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) chaired by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
In nearly every SIPB meeting, projects have reportedly been allotted to companies linked to the Visweswara Rao family.
Apart from Chinta Green Energy, other family firms such as Navayuga Engineering Company and RVR Projects, promoted by Rao’s son-in-law, have also received major power project approvals.
Together, the projects allotted to the Chinta family group amount to a staggering 11,110 MW in installed capacity, according to official records.
In recent weeks, the government has even revised earlier allocations upward, citing project expansion needs.
On Tuesday, the government issued fresh orders sanctioning a 2,000 MW pumped hydro storage project near Duggeru village in Makkuva mandal, Vizianagaram district to Chinta Green Energy.
Interestingly, TDP’s alliance partners – Jana Sena Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party – have remained silent over the undue favours being granted to Naidu’s favourite industrialist.
“Maybe, Naidu has silenced Pawan Kalyan and the BJP leaders by granting favours to their party leaders in different ways,” an analyst said.
