Naidu sets 48-hr deadline for CM Jagan to withdraw 3 capitals move

Challenging the YSRCP government's plan of three capitals for Andhra Pradesh, TDP chief and former CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has set a 48-hour deadline for Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy to either withdraw his trifurcation decision or dissolve the Assembly to seek a fresh public mandate.

Amaravati:Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President and leader of opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Monday set a 48-hour deadline for Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy to either withdraw his three capitals decision or dissolve the Assembly to seek a fresh public mandate for his trifurcation move.

Addressing a press conference here, Naidu dared the Chief Minister to seek a fresh mandate if he had the courage and if he was fully confident of having total approval of the people for his three capitals plan.

"If the people vote for and bring the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) back to power in the re-election, then the TDP would humbly accept their mandate and it would not raise its dissenting voice against the decision again. If the CM does not come out with a proper response, the TDP along with the other opposition parties would intensify their agitation, not just through legal battles, but also to make the CM a culprit in the people's court," he said.

The former Chief Minister reminded Jagan Reddy that he and his party leaders had promised the people in the 2019 election campaign that Amaravati would continue to be the only capital city and that it would be fully developed. After making that promise, the CM has no right to shift the capital out of Amaravati without the approval of all the five crore people of the State, he said.

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Naidu recalled how the YSRCP leaders made the innocent voters believe that Amaravati would not be destroyed even if Jagan Reddy became the Chief Minister.

"But, after coming to power, the CM backstabbed and betrayed all the five crores people of the state by going ahead with his capital shifting without discussing or taking prior approval of the people," Naidu said.

Stating that Amaravati was selected after duly abiding by the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, Naidu pointed out that no government would have the right to destroy this as it would only create greater problems that would crush the prospects of future generations.

He said that the YSRCP government was going to kill Amaravati in the same way that the then Congress government approved the bifurcation Bill by shutting down live telecast and closing the doors of the Parliament. Eventually, the people taught a bitter lesson to Congress.

The TDP chief pointed out that agreements were reached with thousands of farmers by the government-formed Capital Region Development Authority. It would amount to a breach of trust if their agreements were violated.

"Promises were made to the farmers that nine cities would be developed and large scale investments would be made to develop the capital city. Also, the AP High Court was established in Amaravati after a Presidential order was issued in consultation with the Supreme Court," he said.

Meanwhile, protests continued by the farmers in various villages of Amaravati against the state Governor giving his approval to the two Bills for trifurcation of the state capital.

For more than 230 days, farmers in 29 villages continued their protest demanding the withdrawal its three capitals move.

The YSRCP government plans to develop Visakhapatnam as administrative capital and Kurnool as judicial capital, reducing Amaravati to a mere legislative capital.

IANS report

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