TDP members protest over 3 capitals bill, demand Amaravati as Andhra's capital

Members of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday staged a protest at the party office in Nandigama town in Krishna district demanding Amaravati should continue to remain as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP leaders and cadre raised slogans "No to three capitals, Amaravati is the sole capital".

Former minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and former MLA Tangirala Saumya took part in the protest and planted saplings at the party office.

TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday slammed YS Jaganmohan Reddy government for going ahead with its three capitals plan, stating that it has "no approval" of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

TDP leaders are supporting the agitation for keeping Amaravati as the one and only Capital of Andhra Pradesh that began on December 18, 2019. The agitation began in protest against the 3 capitals announcement made by Reddy in the State Assembly on December 17.

Andhra Pradesh High Court had on August 14 ordered the state government to follow the status quo until August 27, the day of the next hearing, regarding the three-capital cities decentralisation act.

The state government had issued two gazette notifications regarding the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act 2020 and the Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Act 2020 after state governor Biswabhusan Harichandan gave assent to both the bills on July 31.

( With inputs from ANI )