The YSR Congress government in Andhra Pradesh headed by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had renamed the decades-old Maharaja District Hospital in Vizianagaram as the Government General Hospital.

The State government had issued orders directing the Vizianagaram district Collector to make arrangements to change the name of the hospital. The hospital was initially established by the Maharajas of the Vizianagaram dynasty represented by the Pusapati family.

However, the government took the decision to facilitate the opening of the Government Medical College coming up in the district. The hospital would be attached to the new medical college as a teaching hospital. The government also plans to provide additional specialities once the medical college starts academic activity.

Meanwhile, opposition TDP took strong exception to the state government renaming the hospital. TDP general secretary, former minister and MLC, Nara Lokesh said that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy was having sadistic pleasure in changing the names of the institutions. He said that Jagan Mohan Reddy was changing the names as he had failed to develop the state.

Lokesh said that Jagan Mohan Reddy had changed the name of the Health University. He named the university after his father late Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, Lokesh said and regretted that the name of Dr N T Rama Rao was removed from the institution which was initially established by the late leader.

The TDP leader said that they would restore the names once the party formed the government in the state after the 2024 general elections.