More than legal status, the real challenge for N. Chandrababu Naidu lies elsewhere. In simple terms, granting legal status to Andhra Pradesh’s capital Amaravati is no longer a major issue. This is largely because the same coalition government is in power both at the Centre and in the State. Failing to secure this would have been a major embarrassment, especially in terms of assuring the farmers of Amaravati. By granting legal recognition to Amaravati through Parliament, the uncertainty that has persisted over the capital for several years is expected to come to an end. It is also clear that any future government in Andhra Pradesh will not find it easy to shift the capital. The primary reason is that, unlike in the past, the issue of a state capital has now been incorporated into the Reorganisation Act through a parliamentary amendment. So far, everything appears to be on track. However, the biggest challenge now before Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is to complete all the ongoing development works in Amaravati before the next elections.
TDP leaders themselves admit that during his first term after state bifurcation, despite requests from MLAs of Krishna and Guntur districts to complete key structures like the Secretariat Towers in Amaravati, the issue was not given adequate attention. Many within the party believe that the real task now is to avoid repeating past mistakes and ensure that all the currently undertaken projects are completed by the end of 2028, giving the capital a proper shape. According to a senior official from the municipal department, frequent changes in CRDA commissioners and the current pace of work suggest that completing projects as per schedule will not be easy. One major reason is that progress calculations have assumed continuous work even during the monsoon season, overlooking the fact that heavy rains in Amaravati can significantly halt construction activities.
Officials say that now that Amaravati has received legal backing through Parliament, work must proceed at “jet speed” to meet deadlines. A senior leader also warned that if projects remain incomplete by the time of elections, even a slight political shift could bring the entire issue back to square one. Although there is no need for unnecessary haste, many believe that to complete the already tendered and allocated works on schedule, a dedicated team comprising both officials and political leaders must be formed to closely monitor progress on a regular basis. Unlike in the past, Chandrababu Naidu is now facing criticism even from within his own party for allegedly awarding projects to selected companies and not monitoring them as closely as before. Some leaders feel he is focusing more on launching new projects rather than completing existing ones. As part of this shift, the idea of a “second phase” of Amaravati development has emerged, according to a minister.
There is also internal discussion within the TDP that the second phase carries a broader agenda, something that was never mentioned during the first term or until the party returned to power again. Earlier, Chandrababu Naidu had stated that the lands pooled from farmers in the first phase would be sufficient to develop Amaravati on the lines of global cities like Singapore and Istanbul. However, he has now changed his stance, saying that without a second phase, Amaravati would remain just a municipality. Under the proposed second phase, plans include a greenfield international airport, a sports city, and green industries. It remains to be seen how successfully the first phase is completed and what level of confidence the government can build among the people of Andhra Pradesh regarding the second phase. This is now being seen as the biggest challenge not only for Chandrababu Naidu but also for the coalition government.