Now, 14 MLAs want Kurnool as capital, Tirupati MP Chinta Mohan bats for Tirupati   

All 14 MLAs from Kurnool district seek an appointment with CM to push their demand; govt never said it will shift capital from Amaravati, says YSR Congress   
Amravati (Photo |EPS)
Amravati (Photo |EPS)

VIJAYAWADA/KURNOOL/TIRUPATI: A day after Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana dropped hints at the relocation of the capital city of Amaravati, politicians started raising demand for capital in their respective districts. For instance, YSRC MLAs from Kurnool district Katasani Rambhupal Reddy and Nandikotkur MLA Arthur said they would meet Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy once he returns to the State from the US with a request that the new capital should be built at Kurnool. 

Not lagging behind the MLAs, former Tirupati MP Chinta Mohan insisted that Tirupati is the best alternative for capital city. YSRC spokesperson Ambati Rambabu, however, maintained that the government never said that it would shift the State capital.All the 14 MLAs from Kurnool district led by Panyam legislator Katasani Rambhupal Reddy sought an appointment with Jagan, once he returns from the US, so that they can put forth their request for choosing Kurnool as capital city. The least they want is establishment of the High Court in the city. 

Speaking to TNIE, Rambhupal Reddy said Kurnool city was the right choice as it once served as capital city of Andhra State. To buttress his argument, he said Kurnool is in close proximity of Hyderabad, Bangalore and, not far from Chennai. “It is well connected by road and rail,” he reasoned. The legislator was of the view that former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s choice of Amaravati as capital city was wrong and Kurnool was a better choice than others. 

On the other hand, Chinta Mohan demanded that the State government make Tirupati the State capital. “I am requesting the Chief Minister to make Tirupati the capital city, as it is better than Donakonda and will be acceptable to all,” he said and claimed that even Pothuluri Veera Brahmendra Swamy had prophesied 400 years ago in his Kalagnanam that Tirupati would one day become capital city of Andhra. 

The Congress leader even said that in 1953, Tirupati as capital city was discussed by NG Ranga, Tarimella Nagi Reddy and Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, but it did not materialise as Sri Venkateswara University was sanctioned to the temple town. He suggested that the government consider the place between Yerpedu (near Tirupati) and Rapur (Nellore district) for building the capital city.

Former MP had written a letter to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on October 2013, proposing Tirupati as capital of Andhra in case the State was bifurcated. Chinta Mohan said he is not demanding shifting of capital city from Amaravati, but only asking the government to consider Tirupati, if it decides to change the location. Meanwhile, senior YSRC leader and MLA Ambati Rambabu said comments of minister Botsa Satyanarayana were taken out of context.

“He has never said the capital city will be shifted from Amaravati. All he said was that Sivaramakrishna Committee had advised against the construction of capital in the present location, but Chandrababu Naidu went ahead and selected it. There was no mention of capital city in the manifesto as such a need was not felt,” he said. Ambati said that all they said was that corruption in Polavaram and Amaravati projects would be exposed. The government is keeping the promises made in the manifesto. He advised critics to refrain from making baseless comments.

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