Jaganmohan Reddy planning four capitals for Andhra Pradesh: BJP MP TG Venkatesh

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

Amid a war of words between Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy’s YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) over shifting Andhra Pradesh’s capital from Amravati, BJP Rajya Sabha MP TG Venkatesh’s remarks have stoked a row.

On August 25, TG Venkatesh told reporters in Kurnool that Jaganmohan Reddy has shared his plans of shifting out the state capital Amravati with the BJP leadership at the Centre, The Times of India has reported.

In addition, he told the reporters that Reddy was mulling over having four capital cities in the state – Vizianagaram, Kakinada, Guntur and Kadapa – in a bid to decentralize the development of the state across all regions.

While speaking to the media, TG Venkatesh recalled how Reddy had vehemently criticised the then TDP government’s decision to make Amravati the capital city. Pointing out that even the public and farmers opposed the decision, the BJP lawmaker said this was exactly the reason why Nara Lokesh (TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu’s son) lost in 2019 elections.

“Forget about what Botsa Satyanarayana or any other leader is saying, because my information from the BJP High Command is that the chief minister himself has already conveyed it to them that capital would be moved out of Amravati and that four capital cities will be established in the days to come. But I cannot reveal the names of the leaders in the High Command who shared this information with me,” TG Venkatesh told the newspaper.

The BJP leader hailed the decision and said it will be welcomed by the people of different regions across the state as the overall development will be decentralized.