Come clear on capital city: Pawan Kalyan to Jagan Mohan Reddy

VIJAYAWADA: Expressing serious concern over the prevailing uncertainty over development of capital city Amaravati at its present location, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan demanded that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should come clear on the issue. Mr Kalyan vowed to fight for the farmers until they get justice in case of any change of venue of the capital city as the farmers had volunteered to part with 33,000 acres of land in the land pooling done for the construction of the capital city.

Based on a request from the farmers from capital city region, the Jana Sena chief set out on his visit from Mangalagiri on Friday and visited the under-construction government buildings, High Court buildings and other structures along with party senior leader Nadendla Manohar and the lone MLA from Razole Rapaka Varaprasada.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the farmers who offered 33,000 acres of land for developing the capital city were in a state of confusion following recent statements from the government questioning the suitability of location of capital city Amaravati. He strongly stated that the Chief Minister should issue a statement on the capital city and wanted to know on what basis the location of capital city would be changed and where would it be shifted, if the state government intended to change the location. He opined that if that was the case, the sacrifices made by a large number of farmers who had offered their lands would go in vain.

The Jana Sena chief said that though he wanted to give 100 days’ time to the YSR Congress government before scrutinising its style of functioning, he was forced to come out to speak on the issues as it had failed to govern the state properly. He opined that CM Mr Reddy was not behaving like the CM of the state and slammed him for behaving like the YSRC president while governing the state. He advised the CM to conduct an inquiry to find out lapses committed by the previous government with regard to development of capital city and asked him not to cause heartburn to the farmers. However, he warned that in case the farmers were subjected to any injustice, he would take the issue to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah and would fight until they get justice.

Referring to a statement from the municipal administration minister Botsa Satyanarayana on non-suitability of location for development of capital city, the Jana Sena chief wondered whether he would shift the capital city to Vizianagaram in case he became CM of the state. He said that the capital city was being built for the people in the state with public money.