Andhra Minister accuses Naidu of 'personal interest' in protest against trifurcation of state capital

Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu on Saturday slammed TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu by accusing him of having ''personal interest'' in protests against the trifurcation of state capital.

"In fact, Chandrababu Naidu is the one who is the reason for agitation. He and his party leaders have personal interest in the Amaravati region," said Kannababu while addressing media at Vijayawada.

"...only a bunch of people are behind Chandrababu Naidu and he is portraying as if the entire world is behind Amaravati agitation," he added.

Kannababu further said that Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy wanted development of all regions. "That is why our government wanted to develop Visakhapatnam as executive capital, and Kurnool as judicial capital," said Kannababu.

"Chandrababu and TDP leaders are not bothered about the development of other regions. That is why the people have already given a verdict against TDP and Chandrababu Naidu," he added.

The agitation staged by the residents of 29 villages, demanding the Andhra Pradesh Government to withdraw its decision to decentralise the capital into three, reached 200 days on Saturday.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the villagers were seen continuing the protest. They have been demanding to let Amaravati be the sole capital of the state.

The villagers said that they have sacrificed 34,000 acres of their fertile lands for the sake of state capital and the better future of the next generations.

They also expressed their fear that if capital is decentralised, the future of the upcoming generation would be "jeopardised".

( With inputs from ANI )