HYDERABAD NO MORE ANDHRA PRADESH CAPITAL? UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES AS JOINT CAPITAL CLAUSE TO END IN JUNE

Ten years after the state of Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated into two parts, creating the new state of Telangana, there is still no clarity on the future of their joint capital city. As per the bifurcation terms, Hyderabad will cease to be Andhra Pradesh's capital after June 2, 2024, but the state's domestic politics are holding up the decision on the new capital. 

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, promulgated in 2014, specified that Hyderabad will remain the joint capital of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for 10 years. After that, Andhra Pradesh can announce its new capital. 

Other elements of the bifurcation plans, like the transfer of apportioning of public assets worth up to ₹ 1.4 lakh crore, are also pending resolution as two main political parties in Andhra Pradesh couldn't reach a unanimous decision on the state's political future. 

Battle to declare capitals 

The erstwhile Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government in Andhra Pradesh decided to announce Amravati as the state's new capital. This decision ignited a political storm and was reversed by the new YSRCP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. 

Reddy came up with a creative solution to address the demands of various section as he announced three capitals of Andhra Pradesh- Amaravati as the legislative capital, Kurnool as judicial capital and the port city of Visakhapatnam the executive capital. 

The decision was challenged in the Supreme Court and the chief minister promised the people of Andhra Pradesh, that he will work from Vishakhapatnam, but failed to relocate to the port city before the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Elections 2024. 

V V Lakshminarayana, a former IPS officer who formed his own party last year—the Bharat National Party—said that the Centre must intervene and extend the clause that keeps Hyderabad as the joint capital until the Andhra Pradesh government finalises its own capital. 

"Only the announcement was made, the foundation stone laid, and some work had started on Amaravati, but the full-fledged capital has not come up. But there is an opportunity, parties should be able to convince the President of India to extend Hyderabad as joint capital until a capital city comes up," Lakshminarayana told PTI.

(With PTI inputs)

2024-05-26T11:35:05Z dg43tfdfdgfd