Jagan plans counter campaign to Amaravati farmers

It looks as if chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had planned a counter agitation programme in the state to the Amaravati farmers padayatra. The farmers of Amaravati are currently on their second round of walk from Amaravati to Arasavailli asking the government to develop Amaravati as the only capital of the state.

Earlier, these farmers have conducted the padayatra from Amaravati to Tirupati on the same demand. This is their second leg of agitation in support of their demand for Amaravati as the single capital of the state.

As the Amaravati farmers are marching towards Arasavalli in Srikakulam district, the chief minister and the ruling YSR Congress are planning a counter campaign in the Godavari districts and Uttarandhra region.

Minister for Education Botsa Satyanarayana, had on several occasions said that they would not remain silent to the misleading campaign by the Amaravati farmers on the capital issue. He called the Amaravati farmers padayatra a politically-motivated campaign to benefit the opposition TDP.

Assembly Speaker Thammineni Sitaram, Minister for Industries Gudivada Amarnath and another Minister Dr Seediri Appala Raju have held meetings in some parts of Uttarandhra region to sensitise people on decentralisation plans of the government and the political plans of the Amaravati farmers.

Now, they are holding round table conferences to create awareness among the people on decentralisation and the aspirations of the people of Uttarandhra and Rayalaseema regions. The first round table conference was held in Kakinada last week and the second conference was held in Rajamahendravaram on Monday.

Ministers, MLAs, MLCs and MPs from the ruling party are taking active part in these conferences highlighting the three capitals plans and creating the mood of the people against the Amaravati farmers walk in their region.

It is to be seen how successful this plan would be in countering the Amaravati farmers and helping the ruling YSR Congress.