Hyderabad:
Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada greeted the announcement by chief minister Chandrababu Naidu - that the state's new capital will be located in the fertile region -- with laddoos and firecrackers. But Kurnool in Rayalaseema witnessed fireworks of a different kind as associations of students, lawyers and traders protested Mr Naidu's decision.
Opposition parties, mainly the YSR Congress led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, demanded a discussion on the report submitted by the Sivaramakrishnan committee before the Chief Minister made a statement on the issue; but the ruling party brushed these demands aside.
Mr Naidu had in fact overruled the recommendations by the Sivaramakrishnan committee, which had been set up to suggest multiple options, as part of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. The Chief Minister had announced his plans to build a world class capital, and had cited a central location as his prime consideration.
There were noisy protests in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, but those did not stop Mr Naidu, who seemed to be a man in a hurry.
"The cabinet decided on September 1 to locate the capital city in a central place of the state, around Vijayawada, and to go for decentralised development of the state with three mega cities and 14 smart cities. It is proposed to go for land pooling system to be worked out by a cabinet sub-committee," he said.
As though justifying his decision on rejecting the Sivaramakrishnan committee's report, which had not spoken in favour of locating the capital around Vijaywada, Mr Naidu said the committee had acknowledged that locating a capital is the prerogative of the state government. He said 50 per cent of the representations received by the committee had stated that Vijayawada-Guntur is the best location for the capital city.
But the YSR Congress alleged that the decision had been driven by real estate interests. Actress Roja, a former member of the Telugu Desam Party who is now a legislator of the YSR Congress, said, "They are not building a poor people's capital city. They are favouring those who helped Chandrababu Naidu fight elections.''
When NDTV asked Andhra Pradesh information minister Palle Raghunath Reddy about the allegation, he retorted, "Occupying land and land-grabbing is the culture of the YSR Congress, not the TDP.''
Responding to a question about the unavailability of adequate land, the likely expenses, delay and legal wrangles, Mr Reddy said Mr Naidu would look after everything. "He will construct a beautiful capital," said the minister.
Mr Naidu will need major help from the Centre to build what he has pitched as a world class capital city; experts estimate that building a new capital will require nearly Rs 4.5 lakh crore rupees.