The Andhra Pradesh government has constituted a high-power committee to examine the recommendations of the expert committee, which suggested three capital formula for the decentralised development of the state.

Two days after the state cabinet decided to form the high-power committee, the government on Sunday issued orders constituting a 16-member panel, comprising ministers and top officials.

Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, who will be the convenor of the high-power committee, issued the orders to this effect.

The panel will submit its report in three weeks. The members include 11 ministers and five officials, including Director General of Police and Principal Advisor to Chief Minister.

According to the Government Order (GO), high-power committee may seek the advice of the Advocate General.

It will also take into account the recommendations of the Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) while finalising the strategy and the way forward.

After six-member expert committee submitted its report on December 20, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government roped in the BCG to study the option available for the development of the capital city.

the BCG is likely to submit its report in the first week of January.

The state cabinet on Friday deferred a final decision on state capital and decided to constitute a high-power committee to study the reports of both the expert committee and the BCG.

It was in September that Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government had constituted a six-member expert committee on the concept of decentralised development and work out a strategy on the way forward, keeping in view various provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.

The panel, comprising urban planning experts, suggested that three capital cities be developed by shifting some capital function from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam and Kurnool. It mooted Visakhapatnam as administrative capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital while Amaravti can house State Assembly and Raj Bhavan.

The report triggered unrest among farmers in 29 villages of Amaravati, who had given 33,000 acres of land in 2015 for development of the state capital. The farmers are staging daily protests, demanding the government to drop three-capital proposal and develop the capital in Amaravati as planned by the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government.

The farmers have also approached the High Court, challenging the government’s proposed move.

The insider information from the ruling YCP leaders is surprising even the bitter critics of CM Jagan Reddy. The latest news is that the CM has deliberately decided to shift Capital just for the sake of his party’s votebank interests amid other things. Jagan does not want to spend thousands of crores on Amaravati as it would benefit only one particular caste but not his party. These caste people in Guntur and Krishna districts will not vote for the YCP even if it develops Capital. Andhra Jyothi Managing Director Radha Krishna talks about these issues in his latest Kothapaluku column. RK says that Jagan Reddy has told his close leaders that it would be a mere waste of time and energy to continue in Amaravati without any future benefits.

Whereas, Jagan Reddy considers North Coastal as a better proposition. The party could be further strengthened there. The people will also give greater support if Vizag is made Capital. RK writes that even the people in Nellore district are expressing impatience against the policies of YCP. The party has won 10 out of 10 assembly segments in the district in 2019 election. But, the Nellore Pedda Reddys are now saying that they should suffer like this because they have give total majority to Jagan Reddy very blindly. The Rayalaseema people are also not happy. RK says that they voted to give One Chance to YSR son but did not think Jagan would give such problems to all.

The farmers in Amaravati Capital villages are still seething with anger and continuing their protests on 11th day. They are disappointed that the Jagan Reddy Cabinet did not take reject the recommendations of the GN Rao Committee on Capital shifting. Moreover, there are increasing fears that CM Jaganmohan Reddy will be implementing his controversial ‘Three Capitals’ plan in January-end. The ruling Ministers are making stronger indications towards this end. Amid these concerns, the farmers are continuing their dharna camps in Tulluru, Mandadam and other villages. A good number of women are turning up and freely expressing their concerns at the protest programmes. Their main concern is that they will have nothing to pass on to their next generation if the government returns uncultivable lands back to them.

The police are trying hard to prevent dharnas in villages but residents are not relenting. Farmers and women are more aggressive than before. They are raising slogans demanding ‘Save Amaravati’ and ‘Save AP’. CPI leader K. Narayana, former minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and scores of opposition leaders have expressed their solidarity. The Amaravati Protection Committee and local villagers have decided to continue the protests till there is a clear statement from none other than Jagan Reddy withdrawing Capital shifting plans.

Advocates in six districts in Andhra Pradesh have joined hand to launch a united fight against AP CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s move to reduce the significance of Amaravati capital by setting up two more capitals in Vizag and Kurnool.

On Sunday, the advocates announced their plan of action to resist relocating Secretariat and High Court from Amaravati to Vizag and Kurnool.

The advocates met at the Bar Association Hall and a Joint Action Committee of the Bar Association has been formed with Chalasani Ajay as its Chairman.

The meeting resolved to press the government to retain the state capital in Amaravati and also the High Court.

The meeting chalked out various agitational programmes to achieve the JAC’s goals.

Protest rallies would be organized on Dec 23, a Chalo High court rally would be taken out on Dec 24, laying siege to the Prakasam Barrage would be organized with the participation of farmers of the capital region, elected people’s representatives on Dec 26.

On Dec 27, the JAC would approach the ministers taking part in the Cabinet meeting to apprise them of the JAC’s demands and would not hesitate to stall the Cabinet meeting. On Dec 27, they also meet at Nelapadu in the high court region and review the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting and declare future course of action.

The government should understand the sacrifices made by farmers, the JAC said and opined that change of state capital with the change of ruler is not justified.

The JAC felt that the GN Rao committee report has no legal validity. The JAC of Bar Association assured farmers to argue the cases registered against farmers free of cost and lend their support to the farmers.

The farmers in AP Capital City are asking why CM Jaganmohan Reddy supported Amaravati Capital proposal when he was the opposition leader. They recalled how Jagan welcomed Amaravati project on the floor of the Assembly when the then Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu made the proposal. At that time, Jagan supported pooling of 30,000 acres to build a grand Capital for AP. Farmers say that it’s because of such statements that they got confident and gave 33,000 acres for Capital construction. But now after becoming CM, Jagan has taken a U-turn and started talking about Amaravati unfit as Capital.

Farmers are recalling how Jagan told them all sweet lies during his Padayatra in Amaravati area. Jagan told them that he would bring in more development there after coming to power. Before elections, Jagan mother Vijayamma visited the area and prayed for One Chance. She also promised more development in Amaravati. But now, she is nowhere to be seen. Farmers are recalling how they innocently believed Jagan family and voted for the YCP candidates.

Farmers are saying that if Jagan Reddy opposed Amaravati Capital before elections, they would not have given their lands to the government. The farmers are expressing fears that Jagan Reddy will not give back their lands in proper condition once he takes capital to Vizag.