A day before his swearing-in as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu made a significant announcement regarding the state's administrative future. Speaking on Tuesday, Naidu declared that Amaravati would be established as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh. This declaration came during a joint meeting that included legislators from the TDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Janasena Party. During this meeting, Naidu was also unanimously elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. “In our government, there will be no games under the guise of three capitals. Our capital is Amaravati. Amaravati is the capital,” said Naidu.
As the first Chief Minister of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh between 2014 and 2019, he had floated the idea of Amaravati as the capital city. However, this brainchild of Naidu suffered a setback in 2019 when the TDP lost power and Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP won a landslide victory. Reddy poured cold water on the Amaravati capital city plans and propounded a new theory of three capitals, which Naidu has now replaced with the decision to have a single capital.
The NDA alliance of TDP, BJP and Janasena won a landslide victory in the recently concluded simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state with a brute majority of 164 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats. The triumph has breathed new life into the Amaravati capital city project.
Hyderabad no longer common capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Notably, Hyderabad ceased to be the common capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from June 2 as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Hyderabad was made the capital city of the two states for 10 years when the bifurcation of undivided Andhra Pradesh was carried out in 2014. Telangana came into existence on June 2, 2014.
"On and from the appointed day (June 2), Hyderabad in the existing State of Andhra Pradesh, shall be the common capital of the State of Telangana and the State of Andhra Pradesh for such period not exceeding ten years," said the AP Reorganisation Act. "After expiry of the period referred to in sub-section (1), Hyderabad shall be the capital of the State of Telangana and there shall be a new capital for the State of Andhra Pradesh," it added.
Chandrababu Naidu set to take oath as Andhra CM
TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on June 12, marking his fourth term in that role. Naidu is scheduled to take oath at 11.27 am at Kesarapalli IT Park near Gannavaram Airport on the outskirts of Vijayawada. Along with Naidu, some more leaders are likely to swear-in, who could include TDP general secretary and Naidu's son Nara Lokesh and Janasena leader N Manohar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other dignitaries are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
(With PTI inputs)
