Naidu accuses Jagan, claims conspiracy to shift AP capital Amaravati

opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has accused YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh of hatching a conspiracy to shift state capital from Amaravati by projecting it as a flood-prone area, a charge denied by ruling YSRC.

Fresh political acrimony broke out with TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu seeking an explanation from government and Congress seconding it as opaque statements of YSRC leaders triggered doubts over government's intentions on development of capital city.

YSRC spokesman and MLA Ambati Rambabu, however, denied any move to relocate capital.

"We never spoke about shifting capital. Even in our (election) manifesto, we neir opposed r approved Amaravati," Rambabu told a press conference on Wednesday.

It all started with state Municipal Administration Minister Botsa Satyanarayana on Tuesday saying in Visakhapatnam that Amaravati was prone to flooding and lot of canals and bunds have to be built to protect it from submergence.

" construction costs are also double rmal in Amaravati because of nature of land. All se will only put an extra burden on state and people," he had said.

Botsa also cited report of Centre-appointed expert committee of (late) Sivarama Krishnan that had said Amaravati region was t suitable for capital. minister added issue was being discussed thoroughly in government and an anuncement on capital would be made soon.

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But he remained evasive on wher capital would be shifted to ar place. YSRC Parliamentary party leader V Vijayasai Reddy also spoke on similar lines on Wednesday. Taking exception to this, Naidu said hundreds of farmers had 'voluntarily' given 33,000 acres of ir land for capital development.

"But present government is projecting Amaravati as a flood-prone region in a conspiratorial manner to relocate capital," he alleged.

Former ministers of TDP DU Rao and Paritala Sunita deunced reported move to shift capital from Amaravati and demanded that Chief Minister come clean with an explanation on this.

Congress also expressed doubts over government's intentions in wake of Municipal Ministers comments on capital.APCC vice-president N Tulasi Reddy pointed out that ministers claim only exposed government's intentions.

"Botsas remarks, at a time when Chief Minister is on a foreign trip, has created a lot of confusion among people.

government should come out with a clear statement on capital and also wher it will return 33,000 acres taken from farmers," Tulasi Reddy demanded.

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