In the last days before June 2, 2024 deadline when Hyderabad will cease to be the joint capital for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the political leadership of Seemandhra is still quiet about where they want to locate their capital
According to Section 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, Hyderabad is going to be the common capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh not more than ten years from June 2, 2014 which was an official date of bifurcation. The residual State was given a window period of ten years within which it could build its own capital but then there has been no change since then leaving AP where it began. The tragic thing is that both the Presidents of incumbent YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have divergent views on this.
The first five years after bifurcation were marred by claims about Amaravati being a “world class futuristic and smart capital” for Andhra Pradesh made by N. Chandrababu Naidu who was Chief Minister at that time. To construct a “people’s capital” pegged at ₹51,000 crore in 2015 Mr Naidu acquired 33,000 acres from farmers through land pooling promising them to be partner in development project. Singapore-based firms were engaged by him and he paid them thousands of billion rupees to implement this project besides contributing ₹7,500 crore towards it with Housing & Urban Development Corporation; few hundred crores from World Bank and ₹1,500 crore from Union Government.
However in the elections held in1998 Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party emerged victorious making him his Chief Minister position becomes number one person in power today. All projects are stalled under new government while budget for the new capital has been brought down to ₹500 crore by current Chief Minister. This made the World Bank and Singapore firms to leave the project, now Amaravati is a ghost capital.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s plan to decentralise development by establishing three capitals in the State has run into legal issues; the case is pending in the Supreme Court.
The people of Andhra Pradesh have thus blamed both Chief Ministers for being out of touch with their feelings as well as problems over a decade. Moreover, they accuse Congress Party of betraying them through unscientific bifurcation that reminds them about grim memories of passing separation Bill without any discussion in Parliament, switching off mics in Lok Sabha and stopping live telecast of proceedings and marshals forcing out all those opposing the Bill from House. The people opine that leaders’ indulgence in vendetta politics means that development at state level has ceased.
In only one year after Hyderabad was declared joint capital of Andhra Pradesh for 10 years, Mr Naidu moved to Vijayawada from there. Many people think he rushed this move due to fear that he could be arrested for his involvement in cash-for-vote scandal which broke out in 2015. As political analysts also observe that if Mr Naidu stayed on at Hyderabad city for ten years it would have probably become Andhra Pradesh’s permanent capital just like Chandigarh is Punjab & Haryana’s capital_.
With a deadline of June 2 looming, A. Revanth Reddy, the Chief Minister of Telangana has started off on the task of dividing assets and liabilities between the two states , which is one of the contentious issues outstanding because there is yet an agreement on it. Andhra Pradesh took the matter to the Supreme Court after several rounds of bilateral meetings failed to settle it. A total of 245 institutions worth ₹1.42 lakh crore with fixed asset value are at stake. Among these, 91 are under Schedule IX and 142 under Schedule X Of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act. Furthermore, there is a disagreement about how to divide twelve more institutions.
For example, political leaders from Andhra Pradesh feared that this process would not be done properly by Telangana’s government which was then led by Congress party in power. They think somehow even if Mr. Revanth Reddy tries to solve it all up, he will be targeted by rival Bharat Rashtra Samithi who will again raise voice for social welfare in Telangana.
However, there is no clarity over what will happen in their capital city yet? This issue must be dealt with promptly after this election by any party that takes power; it is their responsibility towards people who put them there.
