Farmers' 'Mahapadayatra' in Andhra Pradesh opposing shifting of capital enters fourth day

Farmers and women of the Capital Region have been agitating demanding that Amaravati be retained as the capital city of Andhra Pradesh after the announcement of the three capitals' concept by the YSRCP government. All the parties except the ruling party expressed their solidarity with the farmers, who are on the warpath against the government. Continuing their tirade against the government, the farmers launched 'Mahapadayatra' on November 1.

Vijayawada:'Mahapadyatra' launched by farmers demanding that Amaravati be retained as the only capital of Andhra Pradesh entered the fourth day on Thursday. The 'Maha Padayatra' has started by Amaravati farmers, demanding the continuation of Amravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh. The Maha padayatra was being organised under the aegis of the Amravati Joint Action Committee (JAC).

The participants, who started the 'Maha padayatra near Andhra Pradesh High Court, will walk 10-15 km daily for the next 45 days. The expedition will cover 70 villages in Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore and Chittoor districts and culminate on December 17 in Tirupati.

The walkathon was attended by a large number of farmers, women, and leaders of various political parties. Telangana Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury came to the rally and expressed her solidarity with the farmers.

Farmers and women offered prayers before beginning the walkathon, and an all-faith prayer service was also held. Leaders of all political parties except the YSRCP supporting the padayatra, TDP, Congress, CPI, CPM and Farmers' Unions expressed their solidarity with farmers.

It may be recalled that after coming to power in 2019, the YSRCP government had decided to shift administrative capital to Visakhapatnam and judicial capital to Kurnool while retaining Amaravati as only the legislative capital.