The election results in Andhra Pradesh for the 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly constituencies, the counting for which will be taken up on June 4 (Tuesday), is expected to ease the suspense on the State’s capital. The people of A.P. are waiting on the edge, not just for the party which is going to emerge victorious and form the next government but also for the fate of the capital city - whether it will be Amaravati or Visakhapatnam.
It will be Amaravati if the TDP-BJP-JSP Alliance comes to power and Visakhapatnam if the YSR Congress Party returns to power, putting an end to the 10-year capital dilemma for the people of A.P.
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Amaravati was conceived and notified as the capital city when the Telugu Desam Party formed the government in Andhra Pradesh after the bifurcation of the erstwhile State in 2014 and creation of a separate State of Telangana. Barring some basic infrastructure, then Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu could not fully develop the capital city which was planned as a humongous structure. However, the successor YSR Congress Party government led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, after taking the reins in 2019, brought the idea of three capitals into the picture, as an afterthought. To ensure decentralised development of the State, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy proposed Legislative capital at Amaravati, Executive capital at Visakhapatnam and Judicial capital at Kurnool.
However, the YSRCP government could not make much progress on its three-capital plan. Though there were a bunch of statements by Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy on possible shifting of Executive capital to Visakhapatnam, the effort was not fruitful.
The issue of capital has become an emotional matter for the people as neither Amaravati nor Visakhapatnam could be claimed as a full-fledged capital. Furthermore, Hyderabad ceased to be the joint capital of A.P. and Telangana from June 2, 2024, on completion of 10 years since bifurcation, as per the A.P. Reorganisation Act.
The two main contenders in the State, the YSR Congress Party and the BJP-TDP-JSP Alliance have taken a firm stand on the capital city. Reiterating the commitment to the decentralisation of administration, the YSR Congress Party’s manifesto has mentioned that three capitals will be developed in Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Kurnool. Taking a step ahead, the party functionaries stated that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy will take oath as the Chief Minister in Visakhapatnam after the poll result.
The TDP-BJP-JSP Alliance’s manifesto mentioned about developing Amaravati as the capital city with all paraphernalia. At many public meets, TDP supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu, BJP leaders and JSP chief Pawan Kalyan made statements over developing Amaravati as the capital city.
Meanwhile, thousands of farmers who contributed over 33,000 acres to the Amaravati capital city, and have been waging a struggle against the YSRCP government opposing its decision to shift the capital, are going through anxious moments before the poll result.
