It’s a true story of political vendetta that emerged from Andhra Pradesh (AP), a large, prosperous State in south India, where a newfound capital city witnessed total indifference from the ruling class because it was initiated and developed by a former government in Hyderabad. The proposed capital, Amaravati, looks deserted today, though considerable land was procured for the project, and the construction of many buildings also started. The many farmers who contributed their lands for the realisation of the capital city project now feel cheated as the present government is determined to develop another city as the state capital even after the matter reached the apex court of India.

The necessity of a new capital arose for AP after the State was bifurcated in 2014 to create a new State (Telangana). Both states were supposed to share Hyderabad as their capital for at least ten years, following which the city of the Charminar (a historical monument) would become the sole capital of Telangana. Andhra Pradesh’s then-chief minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, declared that he would develop Amaravati as the new capital within the stipulated period.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government led by Naidu officially declared Amaravati the State capital. Naidu, the 13th chief minister of AP, had big dreams for Amaravati and envisioned it as a people-centric smart city in the country. Tech-savvy Naidu was inspired by the Singapore model and declared he would build a world-class green capital in Amaravati. Thousands of acres of land were acquired, and plans were drawn up for the new capital, which was expected to be a vibrant commercial hub for the regional industries in south India.

Naidu sought help from Singapore to plan their new capital. A memorandum of understanding between the governments of AP and Singapore was signed before the year 2014 ended. The Union government in New Delhi was also roped in for support, where the World Bank promised a loan of US$ 300 million for the project.

The “smart” capital was planned to cover nearly 217 square kilometres, where 50% of the space would be covered with trees and 10% with water bodies (so that the temperature could be kept under control for the city dwellers). Affordable housing with 100% Wi-Fi internet connection was expected to be available for the residents. According to the plan, the overhead electric wires and mobile towers would be avoided in the capital complex like those in the ultra-modern cities in different parts of the globe.

Located on the bank of the Krishna River in the Guntur district of AP, Amaravati was an important Buddhist site for pilgrimage and learning. Currently a semi-urban landscape, Amaravati used to support around 110,000 people (mostly farmers); lately, the number has increased to 140,000 residents. Over 33,000 farmers collectively handed over their lands to the government to construct the capital under a controversial land pooling system for some financial benefits.

But Naidu’s TDP lost the 2019 AP legislative assembly elections, and the YSR Congress party came to power. Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of former AP chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash- became the new CM after winning 151 out of 175 assembly seats. From the onset, Reddy alleged that a massive real-estate scam took place in the land acquisition for Amaravati and slowly ignored the initiative. Soon, the central government and the World Bank lost interest and finally withdrew support for the project.

The Reddy government got the assembly to pass two separate directives. The first of which scrapped the AP capital region development authority, which was formed in 2014 to develop Amaravati as the capital. The second proposed the decentralisation of AP and inclusive development of the laws for all regions, wherein it planned to make Amaravati the legislative capital along with Visakhapatnam (as the executive capital) and Kurnool (the judicial capital).

Reddy himself promoted the idea of three capitals (each with a different purpose), saying that it would help extend all-round developments across AP with decentralisation of opportunities. However, he mooted Visakhapatnam (also known as Steel City) as the administrative capital and declared it would start functioning that month. His official residence is expected to be shifted to Visakhapatnam (from the present location of Velagapudi near Amaravati).

But it was difficult for Reddy to ignore Amaravati, as hundreds of Amaravati farmers (who gave their lands for the capital city project) protested against his intention. Under the banner of Rajdhani Rythu Parirakshana Samithy, the aggrieved farmers continued protest demonstrations against the government’s decision to shift the executive capital to Visakhapatnam. They also approached the AP high court to denounce Reddy’s decentralisation policy (constructing three capitals for AP).

Facing the heat, the Reddy government scrapped the policy in 2021. By March 2022, the high court directed the AP government to develop Amaravati as its capital. Soon, the government moved the Supreme Court against the high court order favouring Amaravati. It’s still pending in the apex court. Speaking to this writer from Visakhapatnam, a Reddy sympathiser argued that a State government (by the Constitution of India) has every right to select its new capital.

Reddy has started functioning from the port city to enhance his initiative to decentralise administrative power and developmental activities. The sympathiser asserts that the government would need fewer resources to develop Visakhapatnam as it’s already a busy commercial city. Finally, he admitted that the initiative would also help Reddy’s party garner more support from electorates in the forthcoming state legislative assembly polls (scheduled along with India’s national elections due in early 2024).

Political observers assume that if Reddy’s party wins the assembly elections, he will ensure that Amaravati fades from the limelight because it was a Naidu dream project. But should Naidu come to power again (in the absence of national political parties like the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party), Amaravati and the affected farmers may get its due recognition. Naidu, arrested on 9 September in a multi-crore rupees skill development corporation scam, has already obtained bail from the high court. He was accused of manipulating contracts and misappropriating public money in the corporation. Lately, he has begun political activities, and many argue that Naidu is likely to play the victim card successfully for electoral advantages in the forthcoming polls.

The writer is an independent Indian journalist based in Guwahati.