All eyes on scheduling of new bill on Three Capitals in AP assembly

Vijayawada: The promise by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy to introduce a revised bill on Three Capitals in the AP assembly has resulted in high suspense among political parties and leaders in recent days.

Ruling party legislators sought a discussion on decentralisation of development and Speaker Tammineni Sitaram agreed to have this done. Expectations are that the discussions will take place this week.

It was on November 22 during the last assembly session that the CM said the government would bring in a "comprehensive, complete and better" decentralisation bill.

“Our government’s intention of a decentralised development has been twisted and distorted and a misinformation campaign has been launched. Legal hurdles were created and court cases filed. The government would explain our real intentions and the need for decentralization to all concerned and incorporate necessary changes in the new bill,” the CM had promised.

A delegation of Bahujana Parirakshana Samithi supporting decentralised development met the CM on March 15 and pressed for the introduction of revised bills to resolve the Capital issue. Former minister and Srikakulam YSRC MLA Dharmana Prasada Rao wrote a letter to CM, urging him to convene a special assembly session to debate on the ‘Doctrine of Separation of Powers’.

The government would hold a discussion in the assembly on the Progress of Polavaram project on Monday. It is likely to take up the discussion on Three Capitals before the conclusion of the budget session by March 25.

The Business advisory committee (BAC) of the assembly has decided to have a discussion on ‘Administration of Justice, State Legislature, Governor and Council of Ministers and General Administration and Election’ on March 24.

The state government will likely take a decision soon on the introduction of revised bills on the three capital cities.

Recently, minister for municipal administration Botcha Satyanarayana hinted about the reintroduction of the revised Three Capitals bill. He did not mention the time. He said Amaravati capital has no legal sanctity as it was not acknowledged by Parliament and the Jagan government would consider Amaravati as a legislative capital only.

YSRC legislators mooted in the business advisory committee a thorough discussion on the development of three regions and the high court’s interference in the legislative functioning. Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram promised to take a call on this before the conclusion of the assembly session.

Sources said that if possible, the assembly will take up the discussion on decentralised development on Monday and continue the discussions for the next three days. If the Jagan government did not introduce the bill and confined itself only to the debate on the decentralised development, it would mean Jagan wants to drag the issue as long as it can, so that the YSRC can go to the next elections with the three capitals issue as the main campaign plank.