Debate On Three Capitals Begins In AP Council

The AP Legislative Council on Wednesday took up the discussion on the issue of the trifurcation of the State's capital.

Council chairman M A Sharif allotted 84 minutes to the main Opposition the TDP, 8 minutes to the nominated members of the TDP, 27 minutes to the ruling YSRCP and nine minutes to the independent members.

Speaking on the administration decentralization bill, TDP MLC Nara Lokesh said that the construction of all government buildings had been completed in Amaravathi and that they would remain vacant and public money would be wasted if the capital was trifurcated and many parts shifted to other cities of the State.

He also said that the union government was insisting on the establishment of the State capital at one place.

Referring to the South Africa example, Lokesh recalled the statement of the President of South Africa that the formation of three capitals was nothing but a colossal wastage of money.

Responding to the comments of Lokesh, Minister Avanti Srinivas said that all the TDP leaders including Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh always talked about Singapore, China and the USA, but the YSRCP leaders always thought about the development of the backward areas of the State.

He also alleged that there was no end to the "loot" of the TDP leaders in Amaravathi. This prompted TDP MLC Rajendra Prasad to obstruct the minister's speech, and that resulted in the Opposition party leaders asking if it was okay for the TDP leaders to call Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, Tughlaq.