Telugu Desam Party (TDP) National General Secretary Nara Lokesh on Friday accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of "inciting" regional differences by bringing his "unlawful" three capitals policy once again to the fore.
Lokesh cautioned the people of Andhra Pradesh against falling into the "trap" of CM as he was bent on creating conflicts between castes, religions and regions ahead of the next elections.
The TDP leader said that the court had clarified that the state government and the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) would have to fulfill their promises to the Amaravati farmers as per the Reorganisation Act.
"No Chief Minister in the history of independent India had dared to attack the courts like Jagan Mohan Reddy has been doing in the past three years. Where was the need for framing and passing laws and acts if rulers like the AP CM would not respect them? It was systems and institutions which would be permanent but not Jagan Reddy despite being an elected ruler," said Lokesh.
While hearing a batch of petitions against three state capitals, the Andhra Pradesh High Court, on March 3, ordered the YSRCP government to develop Amaravati as the state capital.
However, Jagan Reddy said that the verdict of the High Court appears to "trespass into the legislative terrain" and said, "We felt that the limits were crossed and hence had taken up the discussion in the House."
Months after the landslide victory in the 2019 state Assembly elections, the Andhra Pradesh government had set up an expert committee which recommended three capitals- Visakhapatnam will be the executive capital from where the Secretariat will function and will also have the Chief Minister's Office, while Amaravati will be the legislative capital and Kurnool will have the High Court with one Bench each at Amaravati and Visakhapatnam.
In June 2020, Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed "Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020". The Bill intended to make three capitals for the state was stopped in the Legislative Council as Council chairman MA Shariff had sent the bill for the select committee consideration.
It may be noted that YSRCP had an absolute majority in the Legislative Assembly but the party did not have a majority in the Legislative Council.
After widespread protests especially by farmers of the Amaravati region, in November 2021, the Andhra Pradesh government withdrew the "Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020" in the State Assembly with CM Jagan Reddy saying that the state government will introduce a new Bill with "no errors".
( With inputs from ANI )
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