The resounding performance of the YSR Congress party in the urban local body elections in Andhra Pradesh appears to have given an impression that the people of the state have given their green signal to the Jagan Mohan Reddy government’s decision to shift the executive capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam.
Especially in Vijayawada, Guntur and Viskahapatnam municipal corporations, the outcome of the elections has become crucial because the verdict was seen as a referendum on Jagan’s decision to form three capitals.
In fact, Telugu Desam Party led by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu made extensive campaign among the people with Amaravati as the main poll plank and asked them to give their verdict against the YSRC government’s move to shift the capital to Visakhapatnam.
He made every effort to kick up Amaravati sentiment, particularly in Guntur district which covers the present capital region. Out of 75 divisions in Guntur municipal corporation, the YSRC has won 34 divisions, including one which was elected unanimously. The TDP ended up with just four divisions, while Jana Sena-BJP combine another four seats.
In Vijayawada, too, the YSRC has been heading for a landslide win. So far, it has won 19 divisions, as against four by the TDP. Here, too, Naidu made every effort to kick up Amaravati sentiment, but it did not work out.
The people voted for the YSRC in a big way, thereby endorsing the Jagan government’s decision to move the capital out of Amaravati to Visakhapatnam. The TDP has no face to throw any more challenges to the YSRC from now!