Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who has been desperately trying to make a big issue out of the uncertainty over the state capital, sought to mobilise the support of all the opposition parties for his struggle.
On Thursday, Naidu called for a round-table meeting of all political parties, barring of course YSR Congress party and various people’s organisations in Vijayawada to discuss the capital issue and how the Jagan Mohan Reddy government had shattered his grandiose dream.
More than anybody else, Naidu was expecting support from Bharatiya Janata Party, which is the ruling party in the country and is keen on developing Amaravati as the capital city. The BJP has also been strongly opposing the attempts to relocate the capital from Amaravati.
Shockingly for Naidu, the BJP conveniently abstained from the round-table meeting of Naidu, thereby sending a clear message that the BJP leaders would not be part of any agitation taken up by Naidu. It is an indication to the BJP’s utter contempt for the TDP chief.
At the same time, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also skipped the meeting, much to the disappointment of Naidu.
CPI (M) secretary P Madhu alleged that Naidu had cheated the farmers of Amaravati by looting their lands and showing them graphics.
He said his party believed in decentralisation of development in the state and not concentrating all the projects at a single place in the name of capital city.
“We do not like to be part of any controversy surrounding the AP capital," Madhu said.
Leaders from Jana Sena, CPI and other farmers’ organisations attended the round-table meeting.