Andhra Pradesh’s capital Imbroglio
Does Andhra Pradesh have a capital? With the sword of Damocles hanging over the yet-to-be-built Amaravati as also the three-capital decision of the Jagan government, at the moment, the state doesn’t appear to have one in the strictest sense of the term. The government’s move to have the executive capital in Vizag, legislative capital in Amaravati and judicial one in Kurnool may be subject to the outcome of a plethora of court cases filed by dozens, including farmers who have surrendered lands in hopes of reaping a windfall once Amaravati takes shape.
Nonetheless, it is keen on pressing ahead and it is amply clear that it has no intention of building a capital city as envisioned by TDP chief and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Against this backdrop, Naidu has dared the government to call for a referendum on the capital issue and vowed to quit politics if the latter has its way.
His dare, coming on the occasion of the first anniversary of the so-called Amaravati agitation, may not be taken seriously but in it is an implicit admission that the capital, wherever it is and in whatever form, must be acceptable to all. Going by the little support it has garnered over the last one year, it is obvious that few outside the region care about Amaravati.
The reasons for this are varied, be it the historical aspirations of the much-neglected Rayalaseema and North Andhra, the fragile finances of the state, or the perception of economic domination by one particular caste grouping, whether real or imaginary. But does all this mean Jagan’s three capitals plan has traction? Yes, it is a fact that the Assembly approved the relevant bills. But so did the previous Assembly in the case of Amaravati.
If the government is to move forward, it needs to convince the people that its plan is practicable, which it is compared to Amaravati. At the same time, it must come up with a clear roadmap to compensate Amaravati farmers who have been promised the moon by the previous TDP regime based purely on real estate speculation. For these twin purposes, it requires statesmanship, not political rhetoric.