Suspense continues over exact location of Andhra capital


(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu who completed 100 days in office on Tuesday made it clear that he was unwilling to disclose the location.Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu who has already announced that the new capital of the residuary state would be located in the Vijayawada region comprising Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri (VGTM) area has heightened the suspense by declining to identify the exact location.

Naidu who completed 100 days in office on Tuesday made it clear that he was unwilling to disclose the location. “Should I announce any particular location farmers and land-owners in that area may create problems. Under the circumstance I feel the guessing game should go on for some more time” the chief minister said in an interaction with newspapers editors. Asked specifically when he would lay the foundation stone for the new capital Naidu said: “First and foremost the government has to acquire land and then have a world class city designed by architects. This will be followed by fixing the muhurtam (auspicious time) and only then can I lay the foundation stone. I will not disclose it if you ask me when and by what time” he said.

Naidu made it clear that though Hyderabad would remain the common capital for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for 10 years he was inclined to have part of the administration functioning from Vijayawada by shifting a few heads of departments to the coastal city and accommodate them in existing buildings there.

Stating that his priority was to strengthen the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Telangana to protect the interests of the people from Seemandhra living in the new state he said it would be difficult for him to say when the AP administration would be shifted to the new capital of the residuary state in its entirety.

Justifying his decision not to convene an all-party meeting before the government took a decision on the location of the capital the Andhra Pradesh chief minister said: “There is no point in inviting leaders from all the parties to discuss the topic. There is every possibility that someone will ask for Visakhapatnam or Kurnool as capital. There will be no end to this. That is why I decided on Vijayawada which has been well received by a majority of the people” he said adding that his government will accept petitions from the public once a month and sort out the issues on the spot.

“I need to create confidence among the people of my state. They need not come to Hyderabad for all their grievances. We can’t initiate action by sitting in Hyderabad without knowing the ground realities and hence the entire administration will move from place to place to collect petitions from the public and resolve the issues” he said.

Stating that at least 650 mandals were equipped with video conferencing facilities and other linkages to Hyderabad to facilitate ministers and officials monitor various developmental activities Naidu said the TDP’s 100-day rule had created confidence among the people who realised that only he could render justice. “Despite the many constraints caused by the injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh by the erstwhile UPA government I gave people confidence that I will take care of their problems and needs” he declared.

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