Capital Politics in AP: Jagan’s Dual Stand Raises Questions!
Whenever elections are held, it will be the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) that returns to power, says party chief Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. He argues that the coalition government has failed in all sectors and alleges that corruption is rampant everywhere. He also claims that law and order in the state has completely deteriorated. Let’s assume for a moment that Jagan’s claims are true. But if he is confident about returning to power in the next elections, will he clearly state his stand on the crucial issue of Andhra Pradesh’s capital? Or will he continue to stay away from Assembly sessions as he has been doing? This has now become a key question. The reason is that on Saturday, March 28, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly is set to convene a special session to pass a resolution declaring Amaravati as the permanent capital and send it to the Centre. It is evident that the Cabinet decision taken on Thursday and the special Assembly session on Saturday are being conducted as per the Centre’s guidance. The Centre is also planning to amend the State Reorganisation Act in Parliament to grant legal status to Amaravati.
In fact, the Centre or Parliament normally has no role in deciding a state’s capital. However, given the special circumstances in Andhra Pradesh—and the fact that the same coalition is in power both at the Centre and in the state—this decision has been taken. Another important aspect is that the Centre is facilitating loans worth thousands of crores from various institutions for the development of Amaravati. This move appears aimed at reassuring farmers who gave their lands and ensuring that there are no future complications regarding these loans. The value of already awarded tenders and completed works is expected to reach nearly ₹70,000 crore within the next three years. After spending such huge amounts, if neither Jagan Mohan Reddy nor the YSRCP makes a clear statement on Amaravati, it will undoubtedly lead to confusion among the public.
Earlier, Jagan had stated in the Assembly itself that he supported Amaravati as the capital to avoid regional conflicts. However, after coming to power, he promoted the idea of three capitals. At one point, when Jagan was building his house in Tadepalli, YSRCP leaders claimed that while N. Chandrababu Naidu didn’t even have a house in the capital, their leader had built one there—so why would he shift the capital? Later, those statements were dismissed. Jagan, once branded as a leader who “never breaks promises,” has changed his stance not only on Amaravati but also on several key issues like the abolition of the Legislative Council. Now that he claims he will return to power again, if he fails to make a clear statement on Amaravati at this crucial time, there are concerns within the party that YSRCP may face political difficulties in districts like Guntur, Krishna, Prakasam, and others.
On the other hand, YSRCP leader Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has been making mild statements that the party is not against Amaravati. However, such claims are unlikely to be believed. While Jagan frequently holds press meets criticizing the failures of the N. Chandrababu Naidu government, party leaders themselves are worried that failing to state a clear stand in the Assembly on such a crucial issue as the state capital would be a major political mistake. As an opposition party, YSRCP can certainly raise concerns and criticize alleged irregularities and corruption in Amaravati tenders. However, if it continues its dual stance on the capital issue, it may end up handing a powerful political weapon to the ruling coalition. Even then, a former YSRCP minister expressed the view that they do not expect Jagan to change his stance.
