‘Bid to scare investors’: TDP hits back at Jagan over Amaravati remark

FSea-ear Andhra Pradesh chief government minister and YSR united states congress company (YSRCP) chairwoman YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s outburst on Thursday opposing the construction of the capital city at Amaravati by the Chandrababu Naidu government has kicked up a political debate in the state.Ever since the YSRCP lost power to the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition in June 2024, Jagan has been maintaining a stoic silence on Amaravati. He had not made any statement even as the Naidu government revived the capital city project, which was abandoned during the five-year YSRCP regime.In fact, in September 2024, senior YSRCP leader and former advisor to the Jagan government Ramakrishna Reddy Sajjala announced during a media conclave in Vijayawada that if the YSRCP returns to power in 2029, Jagan would rule the state from Amaravati.“There is no thought of reviving the three capitals plan,” Sajjala said, referring to Jagan’s controversial policy of creating three capitals for the state – administrative capital at Visakhapatnam, judicial capital at Kurnool and legislative capital at Amaravati.Sajjala even promised that, once Jagan returns to power in 2029, he would focus on developing farmers’ plots in Amaravati and would expedite the capital works by reducing expenditure to avoid burdening the state exchequer. “The existing buildings in Amaravati would suffice for the capital and there is no need for new ones,” he said.Against this backdrop, Jagan’s statement on Thursday, describing the construction of the capital city at Amaravati in the Krishna river basin as “insane,” as it would invite serious environmental and legal complications, has triggered a fresh debate in the political circles.Jagan even sought the intervention of the Supreme Court in the matter and said Amaravati is a virgin land without electricity, roads, and infrastructure, which would require ₹1 lakh crore for creation of infrastructure.TDP spokesperson Neelayapalem Vijay Kumar alleged that Jagan’s latest comments were aimed at stalling the NDA government’s move to introduce a bill in the upcoming Parliament budget session seeking statutory status for Amaravati.“The capital city works are going on in full swing and more domestic and global companies are showing interest in investing in Amaravati. By describing it as a river basin and seeking the intervention of SC in stalling the works, Jagan is trying to scare the investors,” he said.There were no immediate responses from YSRCP leaders on Kumar’s allegations..