KHAMMAM: In wake of reports, or rather rumours, that Bhadrachalam will soon be merged into Andhra Pradesh, locals and political parties are apprehensive about the TRS government’s designs on the matter.
They wonder if the government is even serious about developing the town’s famous Sita Ramachandraswamy temple.
Since TRS came to power around five years ago, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has visited the temple once, to participate in the ‘Sita Rama Kalyanam’ in 2015.
He had then announced his government would develop the temple on par with Yadadri and Vemulawada. He also announced Rs 1000 crore for the temple’s development.
Four years have passed, but this development has yet to arrive. A year ago, the famous ascetic Chinna Jeeyar Swamy and art director Anand Sai had submitted proposals to the government for the temple’s renovation. However, these proposals have not been okayed yet.
Meanwhile, work is progressing at a brisk pace at Yadadri and Vemulawada’s temples.
In the past couple of months, soon after the conclusion of Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and the swearing-in of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as chief minister, rumours gained currency that the handing over of Bhadrachalam to the State was all but imminent.
Cordial relations between the two chief ministers have only made the rumours more potent. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s predecessor N Chandrababu Naidu too had said in the past that Bhadrachalam was a part of Andhra Pradesh.
With claims from AP leaders getting louder, and with their Telangana’s counterparts maintaining a stoic silence on the matter, confusion has only grown in the town.
Bhadrachalam Prantha Parirakshana Samithi convenor B Shankar Reddy believes that the government is not bothered about the temple’s development. “The people do not want their town to be transferred to AP. The government should develop the Ramalayam soon, or else we will launch a massive agitation,” he said.