Linga ..Big Sketch in Amaravati Expansion Project.

Those in the government are aware of what’s happening internally. Not just that—they even know what is about to happen. After the coalition government came to power in the state, the farmers of Amaravati who gave their lands for the capital have been praying to every deity, saying, “God, at least this time, please ensure the capital project is completed.” Although the central government may not provide generous assistance to the capital, unlike in the past, this time the state is ready to secure generous loans, which has sparked hope not only among the farmers but also among the people of Andhra Pradesh that Amaravati will finally be completed. There is a strong belief among everyone that no one can stop the capital Amaravati this time. So far, everything has gone perfectly.

But suddenly, one evening, leaks were given to the media that the government has prepared plans to acquire another 40,000 acres through pooling for the second phase of Amaravati—the expansion project—over and above the land already collected for the capital. This was not a spontaneous decision. As soon as loan agreements with the World Bank and other financial institutions for Amaravati were finalized, the government leaders also gained clarity. That’s when the proposal for additional land came to the forefront. Well before this news came out, those in key positions were fully aware of the matter. Taking advantage of this, it is being said that they involved their people and had large amounts of land purchased under benami names. As part of this, under the leadership of Linga, who has now become a powerful power broker in Andhra Pradesh, a sketch for a massive land bank has already been drawn, and sources related to this matter say significant progress has been made. It is said that a key minister in the Andhra Pradesh government also has a large stake in this Linga land bank, and the rest of the land was purchased under agreements for his personal needs. It is being said that all of them mainly focused on the area where the airport is expected to come up and that they planned in such a way that even if some land is lost in pooling, the majority would still remain under their control. These individuals are said to be buying land in prime core areas with no risk of flooding, backed by precise insider information.

It is being said that a portion of the amounts collected by this power broker is being diverted into real estate and various other types of projects. Though it hasn’t been officially stated how much land will be taken for the second phase of Amaravati, Minister Narayana has clearly said that land acquisition will definitely happen. Since the government has accurate data—like exactly how much land is being taken from which mandal and which village—it is said that these individuals are purchasing new lands accordingly. Recently, documents related to lands purchased by a senior TDP leader have caused a stir on social media. It is said that soon the identities of these benamis will also be exposed. Just like last time, when insider trading allegations surfaced during the first phase of Amaravati, now too, those in power are said to be reaping massive benefits again, using advance information in the same model.