Former Agriculture Minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao has dismissed the three capitals idea articulated by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as neither practical nor desirable.
The YSRCP government should discuss with the opposition parties, civil society organisations and a cross-section of people with a view to evolving a broad consensus.
“No arbitrary decision should be taken on the State Capital,” said Mr. Sobhanadreeswara Rao, who was here on Friday to drum up support for the farmers’ cause.
The State government could not go back on developing Amaravati as the State capital as the Centre had released ₹1,500 crore for Capital construction and another ₹436 crore for developing it as a Smart City, he said.
Visakhapatnam could, at best, be developed as a vibrant financial city and not as an executive capital, he said, adding that the High Court should be set up only in Amaravati.
However, the Benches of the High Court could be located in the Rayalaseema and north coastal Andhra regions, he added.
It was not feasible to return any part of land acquired from the farmers under the land pooling system, he said.
“The land is now unfit for cultivation as bunds have been removed and plots and roads developed,” he asserted.
