ANANTAPUR: TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has dared Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to seek fresh mandate on the capital issue and he will quit politics if the people’s verdict is against him.
Addressing a public gathering at Penukonda on Monday to mobilise people’s support for Amaravati, the
Opposition Leader said, “If the YSRC gets the people’s mandate for its three-capital proposal, I will quit politics,” he said.
Speaking at a meeting in Anantapur, he lambasted the State government for creating trouble to the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi during its State tour to collect donations and drum-up support for Amaravati. "The reports of expert committees, which say Amaravati is not fit to be the State capital, should be thrown into Bhogi bonfire," he thundered.
Describing Amaravati agitation as a struggle between people of the State and Jagan, he exhorted people to unite against the YSRC chief. He dared the government to order a judicial inquiry into the alleged insider trading in Amaravati. "The three-capital proposal is a historic blunder," the former chief minister said and claimed he developed Rayalaseema on various fronts during the previous TDP regime.
Stressing the need for completing all irrigation projects in Rayalaseema and developing backward North Andhra districts, he said there was no need for three capitals, which will cause severe inconvenience to people.
The TDP chief who collected donations from people for the cause of Amaravati at Kodikonda check-post, Penugonda, CK Palle, NS Gate, Mammillapalle, Rapthadu and Anantapur, said a total of Rs 5,92,36 was mobilised. Describing Jagan’s rule as ‘Pichi Tughlaq Paripalana’, Naidu said all the Cabinet ministers had become mad.
CPI State secretary K Ramakrishna said his party demanded way back in 1953 that Vijayawada be made capital and sought to know for whose benefit the proposal to shift the capital was made.
Former MP JC Diwakar Reddy accused Jagan of creating regional conflict and caste rift among the people on the issue of capital. The demand for Greater Rayalaseema would come to fore once again if the State government goes ahead on capital decentralisation, the former MP cautioned.
When YSRC activists tried to obstruct Naidu’s convoy at Palasamudram in Gorantla mandal demanding that the TDP chief go back, police took them into custody.