AP capital row: Jagan states Hyderabad is AP's capital till 2024

The Andhra Pradesh government stirred up a new row by stating that Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh till 2024.

Amaravati: The YS Jaganmohan Reddy government on Monday stirred up a new row by announcing that Hyderabad will be the capital of the state till 2024. The principal opposition Telugu Desam Party launched a counter-offensive asking the ruling party to shift its base to Hyderabad and rule from there if it is the state capital.

The row comes in the backdrop of the March 3 verdict of the Andhra Pradesh High Court that said the state Legislature 'lacked competence' to make any legislation for shifting, bifurcating or trifurcating the capital. Triggering the fresh controversy, Municipal Administration Minister Botsa Satyanarayana maintained that “till 2024 our capital is Hyderabad only” as per the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. “This is a debatable subject. As per APRA, 2014, Hyderabad is the common capital. This is known to all…the court, Parliament and the Assembly,” Botsa told reporters.

He claimed that the previous Chandrababu Naidu regime did not secure Parliament or the Centre's approval for Amaravati as the state capital. “They (TDP government) hurriedly declared Amaravati as the capital. Have they sent the resolution to New Delhi and secured approval (of Parliament)? Did the establishment of capital happen in a legal manner? No,” the Minister pointed out. The court, he observed, might have commented on the capital based on that only. He said the capital would be recognised only when a decision was taken (by the state) and Parliament's approval secured. “That's my personal view,” he added.

Replying to a question, the Minister said as per “our government's thought and party policy”, Amaravati was now the legislative capital of the state. Reacting sharply to this, TDP state president K Atchannaidu asked the Jagan regime to go to Hyderabad and rule Andhra Pradesh from there. “We wanted to rule from the state. We faced many troubles and started building a capital. If you say Hyderabad is the capital, go there and rule,” Atchannaidu said.

Mocking the Chief Minister, he said, “You have surrendered everything (to the Telangana government). There is nothing left for us there. There is not even a building. Go and rule from under the trees.”