Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is said to be unhappy with the way state municipal administration and urban development minister P Narayana is handling the Amaravati capital issue.
According to sources, Naidu got the intelligence reports that Narayana’s indifferent attitude towards the problems of Amaravati farmers may be politically counterproductive.
Sources said Naidu had a lot of faith in Narayana during the designing of masterplan for Amaravati in his earlier stint.
So, when he returned to power in June 2024, he took Narayana back into the cabinet and gave him the same municipal administration and urban development portfolio.
However, the recent developments has led to the impression that Naidu had a “miscalculation” in his strategy.
Narayana’s handling of the second phase of land pooling in Amaravati, particularly his engagement with farmers who had already surrendered land during the first phase, has attracted severe criticism.
Farmers who contributed land for the capital project have been grappling with unresolved issues related to compensation, infrastructure, and livelihood assurances.
Instead of addressing these pending grievances, the government’s move to initiate a second phase of land pooling triggered resentment.
Narayana’s public statements—suggesting that land acquisition would be pursued if farmers did not voluntarily agree to pooling—were perceived as coercive and damaging to the party’s image.
Recognising the political fallout, Naidu intervened by constituting a committee comprising Union minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, Narayana, and local MLA T Sravan Kumar to collectively oversee Amaravati-related matters. This marked a shift from Narayana’s earlier solo handling of the issue.
Since then, decisions related to Amaravati have reportedly gained momentum, with multiple stakeholders now involved in negotiations with farmers.
Party circles also suggest that Naidu himself feels Narayana’s current approach differs from his earlier style, prompting closer monitoring.
With Amaravati remaining a politically sensitive and emotionally charged issue, leaders warn that any missteps could cost the party dearly.