AP capital ‘tussle’ shifts to New Delhi

C Pradeep Kumar
Vijayawada

Amaravati farmers are taking the ‘capital’ issue to the national-level by garnering the support of all national parties for making Amaravati the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh. The pro-Amaravati farmer leaders have chalked out a plan to meet the leaders of all national parties including Trinamool Congress (TMC). Congress, Communists and other parties for building pressure on the Union government to intervene in the Amaravati issue.

The leaders of Amaravati Parirakshana Samiti (APS) and Rajdhani Rythu Sangham JAC are planning a three-day Delhi Yatra to voice their demand for sole capital in the national capital New Delhi on December 17 at Jantar Mantar. They are planning a huge programme inviting various leaders from across the country on December 17 for which arrangements are being made by the leaders.

They have booked a special train from Vijayawada to Delhi that will leave Vijayawada on December 15 and reach New Delhi by December 16 evening. On December 17, they will participate in the demonstration at Jantar Mantar to voice their demand, on December 18 they will meet various leaders and on December 19 they will participate in the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh rally.

It may be recalled that on December 17, 2019, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced three capitals during the Winter session of the Assembly. Since then, the farmers of Amaravati capital and their supporters have been protesting. By December 17, 2022 it will be three years since the Chief Minister announced three capitals.

To mark the completion of three years of the Amaravati movement, the farmers of Amaravati will undertake the Delhi Yatra. For this purpose, the leaders convened a meeting and decided to organise the protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi demanding the continuation of Amaravati as the capital and the implementation of the High Court orders.

APS president A Siva Reddy said that they visited New Delhi to obtain permission from the authorities for the demonstration on December 17. He said that all national parties will be invited to support their demonstration on December 17. The key leaders of APS and Farmers’ JAC will reach Delhi a few days before the agitation and personally invite the national leaders representing the BJP, Congress, Communist and regional parties Trinamool Congress, Janata Dal, DMK and others.

He said that they will personally meet them at their party offices in Delhi and invite them besides Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs. They will also participate in the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh rally on December 19 and then return to Vijayawada.

Amaravati Rythu JAC and the invitation committee member Aluri Ugender said that about 2,000 people, including Amaravati farmers of all age groups and leaders, will participate in the Delhi Yatra. Despite adverse weather conditions, the senior citizens are also travelling to Delhi to take part in the three-day demonstration programme. Former Tadikonda MLA T Shravan Kumar announced that the opposition TDP would be supporting the farmers’ Delhi Yatra.