VISAKHAPATNAM: Even as the farmers’ padayatra from Amaravati to Arasavalli, demanding Amaravati be made the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh, is inching towards North Andhra, a counter-movement in support of decentralisation and the YSRC government’s proposal for three capitals has gained momentum in Visakhapatnam.
In this context, for the first time since the three capitals were proposed, a non-political Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising intellectuals and various people’s organisations, has been formed on Saturday, giving a definite shape to the proposal.
The counter-campaign is expected to get a major fillip as the JAC has proposed to conduct a massive rally, ‘Visakha Garjana’, with two lakh people to gather support for the government’s decentralised development plan and to mount pressure on those opposing the move.
During a round-table meeting, the JAC resolved to undertake a statewide campaign to press for decentralised administration with three capitals as envisaged by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Hanumanthu Lajapati Rai, the former vice-chancellor of Ambedkar University, is the convener of the JAC, a 26-member committee comprising prominent professors, medical experts, lawyers, journalists, NGO association members and students among other eminent civil society members.
The panel has minced no words to convey that a full-blown agitation is in the offing to re-emphasise the need to declare Vizag as the executive capital of AP. Following the farmers’ walkathon, some splinter groups have taken up low-profile campaigns in support of the three capitals.
In a bid to make the rally a huge success, the panel members have decided to hold a series of meetings at the Mandal and constituency level in all 15 constituencies of the combined Visakhapatnam district.
MLA Dharmasri ‘quits’ for three-capital cause
The JAC leaders asserted that their aim is to dispel the observation that the majority of the people in north Andhra are not in favour of the proposal for three capitals. They feared that in the absence of a strong counter-campaign, the farmers’ padayatra may gather more support and strength. Against this backdrop, the JAC chalked out an action plan to unleash a campaign for projecting the inherent feeling of the people of north Andhra in support of decentralisation.
Observing that for decades north Andhra remained backwards, the panel opined that it was time to seize the opportunity to propel growth in the region with decentralisation. JAC Convenor Lajpatirai said, if decentralisation is not done now, there is a possibility of a stir for separate statehood. YSRC leaders who attended the round-table also extended their support to the cause.
Minister for IT and Industries Gudivada Amarnath appealed to the political leaders from the region to join the movement in line with the wishes and aspirations of the people. He urged them to protest against the Amaravati farmers’ Maha Padayatra, which he alleged was instigated by the Opposition. “The padayatra is against the will of the people of North Andhra,” Amarnath said.
Bheemili MLA and district party president Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao said Vizag is the second largest city after Hyderabad in both the Telugu States. With lesser investment, the port city can be developed as the capital as there is no need for land pooling, he asserted. “Vizag has the capability to compete with cities like Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru as it is well-connected,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Chodavaram MLA Karanam Dharmasri ‘resigned’ for the three-capital cause. He handed over his resignation letter, addressed to Speaker Tammineni Sitaram, to the convener of the JAC. Dharmasri challenged TDP State Chief K Atchannaidu, who hails from Uttarandhra and has voiced his support for Amaravati to be made the sole capital, to resign and seek re-election from Tekkali. He said he will seek re-election from Chodavaram in support of decentralisation.