BIG: Centre won't intervene in Andhra's '3-Capital' row, leaves Jagan-Naidu to duke it out

The Central government on Tuesday refused to make any intervention in Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s 'three-capital plan'. The Centre categorically said in Parliament that it is the state's prerogative to decide on a capital. In response to a question from Telugu Desam Party MP Jayadev Galla, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said, "It is for each state to decide on the capital within its territory".

'It is for each state to decide its capital'

Galla had sought to know whether the state government has informed the Centre about the plan and whether the Centre was planning any intervention. “Recently media reports have appeared indicating the state government’s decision to create three capitals for the State of Andhra Pradesh. It is for each state to decide its capital within its territory,” Rai’s written reply reads.

Amaravati was notified as Andhra's capital in 2015

Farmers who had given up their land in Amaravati region for the creation of a 'world-class capital' as promised by the previous government, led by N Chandrababu Naidu, have taken to the streets to protest and the TDP has extended its support to the agitation. The erstwhile TDP government had declared that it will develop Amaravati as the new capital of the state after its bifurcation in 2014. Amaravati was even notified as Andhra’s capital city in April 2015.

Naidu alleged that the YSRCP government destroyed Amaravati which was expected to become Rs 2 lakh crore asset for the state. A separate bill, the "Decentralised Governance and Inclusive Development Bill", was also passed in the state assembly that mentioned three capitals -- an executive capital at Vizag, a legislative capital at Amaravati and a judicial capital at Kurnool -- covering the three geographical regions of the state.

READ | YSRCP questions TDP chief's absence during abolition of Andhra Legislative Council debate

READ | TDP, BJP & PDF finalise panel members to study bills on Andhra's three-capital formation

Matter referred to a select committee

The bills were however not passed by the legislative council, where the ruling party is in a minority. The council referred the matter to a select committee. But meanwhile, the state government decided to dissolve the legislative council, saying it was being used politically by the Telugu Desam Party and that it was a burden on the state's resources. 

Naidu, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and a few BJP leaders had earlier sought the central government’s intervention to stop Reddy from going ahead with his plan.

READ | Chandrababu Naidu questions burden on exchequer because of Andhra's three capitals

READ | Andhra govt launches 'YSR Pension Kanuka' scheme to deliver pension at people's doorstep