Jagan's cabinet clears 3-capital proposal as tension remains high

The cabinet of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Monday formally cleared a proposal to have three capitals for the state. The proposal has been sent to the state Assembly.

The decision will move to develop Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kurnool as the legislative, executive and judicial capital cities, respectively, of Andhra Pradesh. The move marks a break from the previous TDP government's decision to develop Amaravati as the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, following the bifurcation of the state in 2014.

The cabinet also approved the formation of an Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Authority by way of the APCRDA Repeal Bill, 2020. The bill repeals the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, which had been formed to develop a new capital from scratch. The cabinet also decided to compensate farmers who had given their land for developing Amaravati.

Ever since Jagan announced plans to have three capitals on December 17, opposition parties and farmers groups have opposed plans to shift the executive capital from Amaravati.

Security had been heightened ahead of the cabinet meeting and Assembly session that will discuss the capital issue. Heavy police deployment was reported in Amaravati. Police were deployed along the route to the Assembly. Jagan took a new route to reach the Assembly.

Several TDP leaders and leaders of the agitation to retain Amaravati as the sole capital were placed under house arrest.

After the Assembly, the proposal on the capital issue will move to the Legislative Council. The ruling YSRCP is likely to have a tough time in the state Legislative Council, where it has just nine seats in the 58-member body. The TDP, with the support of the BJP and other parties, could stall any legislation to provide for three capitals, temporarily. However, Jagan could opt to push through his plan via a money bill.