VISAKHAPATNAM: YSRC regional coordinator (North Andhra Pradesh) YV Subba Reddy on Tuesday created a flutter with his remarks on the contentious capital issue.
Speaking to reporters here, the Rajya Sabha nominee said the ruling party was mulling over retaining Hyderabad as the common capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for some more time.
Further, he added that YSRC president and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will hold discussions with the party leaders and issue a statement on the matter after the elections.
As per the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act, Hyderabad was made the common capital of both the States for 10 years. This 10-year period is set to end in June this year.
“The previous TDP government in its five-year tenure could construct only a temporary capital. When YSRC came to power in 2019, we proposed Vizag, a city that is already developed, as the executive capital considering the financial constraints. However, we could not move forward with the proposal to establish the executive capital due to legal hurdles. We are trying to overcome these issues,” Subba Reddy said and added that the party was mulling over retaining Hyderabad as the common capital till the issue is resolved in the court. The YSRC leader’s statement drew sharp criticism from the TDP and the BJP.
Speaking to reporters, former minister Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy said their prediction that the YSRC will not be able to build a capital has been proved to be true.
“Under the pretext of developing three capitals, the YSRC government wasted the last five years. Not even a single brick was laid in Visakhapatnam,” he added.
Jagan totally ruined capital Amaravati: BJP
BJP chief spokesperson Lanka Dinakar accused the YSRC of cheating people of three regions with the promise of three capitals. He accused the ruling party of turning away from its policy on decentralisation. “YSRC is considering to retain Hyderabad as the common capital now as defeat stares in its face ahead of the elections. Jagan destroyed the capital at Amaravati which was unanimously approved by all parties in the Assembly,” he noted.