The sudden decision of the Andhra Pradesh state cabinet led by YSR Congress party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to defer the announcement on shifting of administrative capital of Andhra Pradesh from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam has surprised many.
But it is believed to be more of a strategic move and tactical retreat than having any second thoughts. The announcement of a decision at the cabinet would have triggered violence in Amaravati capital region, as the farmers are highly agitated as was evident from the way they did not spare even electronic media journalists when they tried to play down their agitation.
So, in order to douse the fire, the Jagan government strategically delayed the announcement of the capital by constituting a high-power committee to take a comprehensive look into the whole issue and the repercussions of the capital shift.
The “yellow-media” did not ignore this key point. Both Eenadu and Andhra Jyothy promptly highlighted the fact that Jagan is hell bent on shifting the administrative capital and there is no question of going back on it. The constitution of yet another committee was only to see that the agitating farmers were reined in by using force or pacifying tactics.
The chief minister’s comment at the cabinet that his government would not be in a position to spend Rs 1 lakh crore on Amaravati was the focus of Eenadu, while Andhra Jyothy’s banner story said wind in the Jagan’s cabinet was blowing in favour of Visakhapatnam.
Sakshi, however, confined itself to the constitution of high power committee to study the report of G N Rao Committee and the yet-to-be submitted report of Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) to make a comprehensive action plan for the three-capitals formula.
Telugu Desam Party president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s press meet where he accused Jagan of taking a U-turn on Amaravati and also asserted that the government would not incur even a single rupee was also given a big coverage by Eenadu and Andhra Jyothy.
The massive agitations going on in Amaravati region continue to hog the limelight in anti-establishment media. The situation was tense on Friday owing to the cabinet meeting and the farmers were fully charged-up for a violent agitation.
Sakshi carried a report on planned violence by the TDP groups and the attack on the media persons was not a spontaneous one.
Expectedly, Sakshi carried the banner story on the report of the cabinet sub-committee that probed into the irregularities and insider trading in the capital region. The committee has found several irregularities and unfair practices during previous TDP government. The State will take legal opinion and then refer the matter to either Lok Ayukta or go for a CBI or CB-CID inquiry.
Eenadu buried this report in the main cabinet story, while Andhra Jyothy conveniently ignored the same on the front page.
Interestingly, both Eenadu and Andhra Jyothy revived the argument for teaching in mother tongue. The issue came up for discussion at the World Telugu Writers’ Association. Former deputy speaker and TDP leader Mandali Buddha Prasad’s anguish over neglect of Telugu in the name of promotion of English medium was prominently highlighted by Eenadu.
The finalization of reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs in the local bodies was another report that made it to the front page of the Telugu dailies. Eenadu and Sakshi gave the factual report, but Andhra Jyothy twisted it saying the government was unlikely to conduct local body elections in the near future.