Amaravathi: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Thursday expressed his disapproval with Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s comments about the proposed three capitals in the state, calling the idea “illogical.”
He said that if that was true, then they may as well make capitals of all 175 constituencies. Lokesh said that Jagan Mohan Reddy is ”apparently trying to misguide and mislead the public” on the recent order given by the Andhra Pradesh High Court regarding three capitals.
Addressing a press conference, Lokesh, who is the son of ex-AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, said, “The court had only gone by the AP Reorganisation Act that was passed in the Parliament. There was no provision for creating three capitals in the Reorganisation Act. As such, neither the AP government nor the AP Assembly has any power to overlook it.”
The general secretary said the Reorganisation Act had clearly mentioned ‘a capital’ for Andhra Pradesh but not multiple capitals. He added that only Parliament has the that power or authority to form three Capitals.
The TDP MLC asserted that Chandrababu Naidu’s policy had been always for decentralised development with a focused administration from one single Capital and that Amaravati should remain the one and only capital for AP.
Lokesh opined that decentralisation was done in AP long back under former AP chief minister NT Rama Rao (NTR) when mandals were formed. “Telangana recently got a Rs 3,500 crore industry which would create over 10,000 jobs there. AP has lost all such chances ever since chief minister Jagan snatched power from the people with his lies and betrayals,” he said.
