A day before taking oath as Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday, June 11 declared that Amaravati would be the state capital. Addressing a meeting with the newly-elected MLAs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Vijayawada, Naidu made it clear that his government would not entertain former YSR Congress Party's (YSRCP) three capital proposal.
Stating that his government would continue development of Amaravati as the state capital, Naidu slammed YSRCP for putting a halt to the development of Amaravati as the state capital. “Even after 10 years we are not in a position to say where is our state capital,” he said and declared, “Our capital is Amaravati." Naidu assured that Visakhapatnam will be developed as a financial capital and a modern city and Kurnool will be developed in all respects.
In 2019, the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government reversed the decision by the earlier TDP government to develop Amaravati as the state capital and announced that three state capitals would be developed. The YSCRP government had mooted Visakhapatnam as the administrative capital, Kurnool as the judicial capital and Amaravati as the legislative capital.
Revealing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NDA leaders will attend the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday, Naidu said that the Union Government's help was required for the state’s development.
Eloborating his plans for the state, Naidu vowed to complete the Polavaram project. He stated that the government will be a ‘people’s government’, and there would be no Praja Vedika-like demolitions. Naidu was referring to the demolition of a meeting hall adjacent to his house, which was built when he was the chief minister.
Naidu said those who indulged in irregularities would be punished as per the law.
Alleging that the previous government pursued politics of vendetta, he a the assured that the new government would move ahead with constructive politics.
Asserting that 57 per cent of people voted for the alliance, the TDP chief said it was now time to live up to their expectations by rebuilding the state. Naidu said the people gave an unprecedented mandate to the TDP and its allies in the state. “We have won 93 per cent of seats. This is the first time in the country,” he said.
Naidu also assured that during his visits there will be no closure of shops and roads and putting up curtains. “Chief Minister is also an ordinary man. The post is for service and not for supremacy. I have told (police) not to inconvenience people during the movement of my convoy,” he said