Expert committee report on 3 capitals duplication of Jagan Reddy's views: BJP's Lanka Dinakar

As GN Rao-led expert committee submitted a report recommending three capitals for Andhra Pradesh to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, BJP leader Lanka Dinakar on Friday said that the report is nothing new but simply a duplication of Reddy's views.

"GN Rao committee views are nothing new; it is simply a duplication of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's views, whatever he expressed in the state Assembly a few days back with respect to Andhra Pradesh capital. He mentioned three capitals for Andhra Pradesh. The report which comes after Reddy's comments is clearly under his influence... There is nothing new in the recommendations of GN Rao (committee)," Dinakar told here.

He said that BJP, right from the beginning, has been demanding that High Court should be established in Kurnool and Benches can be placed wherever required.

"There is no administrative constraints as far as the High Court is concerned. But the capital for Assembly as well as executive is a concern. It is a well-known fact that Amaravati was duly recognised as the capital of Andhra Pradesh," he added.

Dinakar also said that after coming to power Reddy is behaving like Tughluq with his "arrogant and unpractical approach".

"This decision is creating a lot of nuisance and utterances and unrest across the state of Andhra Pradesh... His (Reddy's) inexperience and arrogance is appearing very clearly in his decisions," he said.

After the expert committee submitted the report to the Chief Minister recommending three capitals for Andhra Pradesh, farmers on Friday held a protest near the Secretariat against the said suggestion.

The agitated farmers raised slogans against Reddy and questioned the legality of the committee.

Villagers of Velagapudi and Mandadam also hit the streets near the state Secretariat and questioned the proposed idea of three capitals.

The expert committee has recommended the Andhra Pradesh government to have decentralised development by having three capital cities for the legislature, executive and judiciary and put the available resources to best use taking into consideration concerns on environment and for balanced regional growth.

Addressing the media, the committee members said that Visakhapatnam will be the executive capital from where the Secretariat will function and will also have the Chief Minister's Office, while Amaravati will be the legislative capital and Kurnool will have the High Court with one Bench each at Amaravati and Visakhapatnam.

The budget and winter sessions of the Assembly will be held at Amaravati and Visakhapatnam, and the Raj Bhavan and the Assembly will be located between Mangalagiri and Nagarjuna Univesity which is not flood-prone.

( With inputs from ANI )