Hyderabad Airport named after Rajiv Gandhi despite he has no role in its development: BJP leader

Senior BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on Sunday claimed that Hyderabad's International Airport was named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, despite he has "no role in its development."

"Hyderabad airport was named after Rajiv Gandhi, but three people played a major role in its construction. The land belonged to the Defence Ministry. George Fernandes, Chandrababu Naidu, and I—then Civil Aviation Minister—worked together to build this airport," he said while speaking at the 'Bihar Diwas 2025' event organised by the BJP.

"When Congress got the opportunity, there was no mention of Chandrababu Naidu, George Fernandes, or me. Instead, the airport was named after Rajiv Gandhi, who had no role in its construction," he claimed.

The BJP national spokesperson further stated that regular meetings were held at the PMO, with close monitoring of the project.

Every week, the Civil Aviation Minister, Defence Minister, and Chief Minister met to oversee the airport's construction, he said.

"I want to emphasise that it is an excellent airport, and along with Chandrababu Naidu, two Biharis—George Fernandes and I—played a key role, as did former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in its construction," Hussain claimed.

The airport at Shamshabad was inaugurated in 2008 by then-UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, during Congress rule in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

Hussain also highlighted that several airports are now being built in Bihar under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

Without naming the RJD, he claimed that the party’s election symbol, the lantern, had created a "negative perception of Bihar."

"The lantern has been buried forever. They are no longer needed in Bihar, because, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, there is 24/7 electricity, access to water, and improved roads. Bihar is progressing rapidly. The state now has a BJP-JD(U) government, with full support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added.