Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is trying to take maximum political mileage out of the agitation by the farmers of Amaravati region.
He addressed a huge rally of farmers at Thullur on Monday and vowed to fight for their rights till the YSR Congress party government withdraws its proposal to shift the capital to Visakhapatnam.
But his party MLA and former minister Ganta Srinivas Rao has refused to budge on his stand on the capital city.
He had earlier tweeted that he was welcoming the decision of chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to make Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, much to the annoyance of Naidu.
And on Tuesday, Ganta spelt out his stand openly at a press conference stating that he would differ with the party stand on Visakhapatnam.
“As a resident of Visakhapatnam, I reiterate my stand on welcoming Jagan’s decision to establish the executive capital of Andhra in the city.
“Visakhapatnam is the fastest growing city in the country. It is already home to people from various states and said it is a very peaceful city. If it is made the administrative capital, further development is possible," Ganta asserted.
He said as per the recommendations of the GN Rao Committee, all parts of the state will be coordinated. Equal development will take place in all areas through decentralization, he said.
Ganta said Visakhapatnam was an ideal city for all kinds of people. Since the government has decided to step up infrastructure in the city, it will flourish as the administrative capital,” he said.
However, the former minister urged the state government to do justice to Amaravati farmers, who were justified in their agitation for the capital.
