Andhra Pradesh Three Capital Row: Centre Refuses to Intervene, Says ‘State Prerogative to Decide’

Massive protests have been going on in Andhra Pradesh against the state government's decision. The move would see the incumbent capital Amaravati becoming the legislative capital with Visakhapatnam and Kurnool becoming executive and judicial capitals respectively.

New Delhi: In a fresh development in the controversy surrounding the Andhra Pradesh government’s move to allot capital status to three cities, the Centre on Tuesday said that it won’t intervene in the issue as it is the prerogative of the state governments to decide on their capital cities.

The remark was made by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in the Lok Sabha in response to a question by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Jayadev Galla. The MP wanted to know what the Centre’s stance over the YSR Congress Party (YSCRP) government’s proposal and if it will ask the state not to take such a decision.

Responding to this the minister said, “In recent days, there have been media reports of the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision to create three capitals for the state.”

“It is for each state to decide on its capital within its territory,” he added.

Massive protests have been going on in the state against Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s decision to decentralise the incumbent capital Amaravati. The move would see Amaravati becoming the legislative capital with Visakhapatnam and Kurnool becoming executive and judicial capitals respectively.

Farmers of the 29 villages in Amaravati, who gave up their land for the futuristic capital as envisioned by the erstwhile TDP government, have taken to the streets with former CM and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, who envisioned Amaravati in the first place, lending his support to the movement.