Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Payyavula Keshav has asked the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders what stops them from passing a resolution in the Assembly for shifting the Andhra Pradesh High Court to Kurnool and getting it sanctioned by the Centre.
Responding to the severe criticism of the TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu made by the YSRCP leaders at the Rayalaseema Garjana held in Kurnool, Mr. Keshav, who is also Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman, said that former Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, while representing the Andhra Pradesh government in Supreme Court, had said the Andhra Pradesh High Court should be retained in Amaravati, while the government now says it wants the shift it to Kurnool.
“‘Only setting up the High Court in Kurnool will not ensure the development of Rayalaseema region. Binging infrastructure projects, industries and completing the pending irrigation projects are important . If you (YSRCP) want to hold Garjana, it should be in New Delhi seeking funds for the State, Special Category Status, and the High Court in Kurnool. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, however, does not demand these from the Centre,” Mr. Keshav told the media.
He said the Sri Bagh Pact talks about water for Rayalaseema and Nellore, utilsing the Krishna and Tungabhadra water properly. “It was TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao, who had envisaged Telugu Ganga, Galeru-Nagari, and got it implemented. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy continued it to some extent, but Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy stopped all projects,” he said.
Referring to the Rayalaseeema Garjana, the TDP leader alleged that the organisers had to end the meeting early as people started walking out of the venue.
“What happened to the poll plank of the YSRCP—Neelu, Niyamakalu, Nidhulu? What happened to the BTP, Perur dams? where are the jobs? Why are not funds coming from Centre?,” Mr. Keshav asked.
The TDP leader further alleged that the government did not come to the rescue of tomato farmers who were forced to sell their produce at ₹2 per kg. “The drip Irrigation facility is being discouraged in Rayalaseema by removing the subsidies, he alleged.
The Anantapur-Amaravati expressway has been converted into Kadapa-Amaravati Expressway, ignoring Kurnool and Anantapur districts, he added.
