Kerala, Andhra and Tamil Nadu - news and strategy thread

[ramana]

It seems the recent protest March in Hyderabad was organized by a rival group to Owaisi.

Interesting if true.

[ShyamSP]

Correct. People who have no reason to become a EJ will become EJ once they get money and see opportunity to make more money.

Same mercantilism will also work if EJ converts benefits are taken out. BJP can call out that if people take Rice bags they won't get reservations.

This is where Governments can take action. 0 Christians per records but 11 churches in may be a 3-village Gram Panchayat.
This is an old RTI reply but recorded proof nonetheless.

https://twitter.com/lawinforce/status/1 ... 6090735616
Legal Rights Protection Forum
@lawinforce
The below information is obtained under the RTI Act 2005.
As per Revenue Records, the Population of Christians in Maddhulaparva (V), Reddygudem (M), Krishna (D), Andhra Pradesh is absolutely Zero (0). But the number of Churches constructed in that village is 11.

Below Tahasildar stamped note gives names of 11 churches with survey numbers per Tahasildar and population table as [Muslims=124, Christians=0 Hindus=4774]

[ShyamSP]

AP revenue fall of 10K in 2019 from 2018 means state economy is in recession. Pied Piper CM with blessings from North taking all rats to south/pit.

"The revenues under several heads in Andhra Pradesh were declining in the current 2019-20 financial year. According to the latest data, the total revenue was Rs 98,790 crore for eight months of the current fiscal as against the Rs 108,700 cr in the previous corresponding period."
https://newsmeter.in/business-andhra-su ... e-minimal/

[PS: There is an article in Eenadu but couldn't get jpeg of it so giving info this unfamiliar site.]

[Aditya_V]

How is Jagan who is INC Christian base and inspite of CBI shenigans close to Sonia but you are alluding to close to North- what do mean North- close to Kejriwal/ Arminder singh/ Mulayalam SIngh?

[LakshmanPST]

How is Jagan who is INC Christian base and inspite of CBI shenigans close to Sonia but you are alluding to close to North- what do mean North- close to Kejriwal/ Arminder singh/ Mulayalam SIngh?

Don't know about the poster, but lot of common ppl in AP, mainly TDP fans, believe that Jagan is being supported by BJP in the state...
However, one point to note is, Jagan is not really 'close' to Sonia...
Yes, he is a Christian... But that is only one secondary aspect of his politics...
The primary aspect is, Jagan is a regional strongman... He hates anyone who threatens that position...
He may ally with Sonia in future, but it will be on HIS terms and not on her terms...

YSR's relationship with Sonia was also on similar lines...

[Rony]

delete

[Rony]

delete

[Rony]

How is Jagan who is INC Christian base and inspite of CBI shenigans close to Sonia but you are alluding to close to North- what do mean North- close to Kejriwal/ Arminder singh/ Mulayalam SIngh?

ShyamSP garu was referring to BJP/Modi. Its a recurrent theme among TDP people that EJ Jagan is supported by Modi/Shah and has their support for all his actions. In fact the conspiracy goes even further that Modi/Shah manipulated EVMs and won the last elections and they helped Jagan manipulate EVMs at state level and made him CM. As per another CT from TDP folks, Modi was jealous of CBN who is senior to him in politics and became CM of AP before Modi became a big leader in GJ and because of his ego clash with CBN, Modi did not help AP post-bifurcation. Now apparently, Modi/Shah are also behind shifting of capital from Amaravati and the resultant instability there or at least they are not doing anything about it because Modi/Shah does not want AP to rival Gujarat. This kind of conspiracy theories are not just common among TDP folks, but they are also pretty common among TDP leaning media.

Yesterday i was listening to a debate in AP 24/7 and the anchor Venkata Krishna was saying that " As we all know, Modi is not talking about the capital issue in AP because he does not want Amaravati to rival Dholera in Gujarat". Dholera is a Special Investment Region in Gujarat and the CT among TDP people is Modi/Shah favors Gujarat and divert most central funds to GJ even at the expense of AP.

In the same program, the anchor was saying that YSRCP/Jagan will join BJP govt at the center and BJP will agree to it as they need Rajyasabha seats. In Telugu media, political debates happen around CTs/gossips/opinions over actual news.

[ramana]

All that is nonsense and as BJP has no control on TV media in Telugu they can say anything and get away.
There is a limit to how much capital Gujarat can absorb and its reaching that.
If AP is in doldrums its because the people voted for looters like CBN, YSR, Congress, CBN and KCR, and Jagan.

Each has boasted of net worth of over 1.5 lakhs crores but folks go out and vote for them so they can threaten BJP at Center.
Middle class sits at home and rants on Modi/BJP.
They want him to dismiss the looters and make these 'sit at home' middle class as netas.
They are in many WA/TG groups and give long winded posts on laptops!

[ShyamSP]

Yesterday i was listening to a debate in AP 24/7 and the anchor Venkata Krishna was saying that " As we all know, Modi is not talking about the capital issue in AP because he does not want Amaravati to rival Dholera in Gujarat". Dholera is a Special Investment Region in Gujarat and the CT among TDP people is Modi/Shah favors Gujarat and divert most central funds to GJ even at the expense of AP.

I'm not sure Dholera but KCR is happy to get all investment withdrawls into Telangana/Hyderabad and for that reason he funded in AP elections also. Recent events in last 6 months indicate that clearly. Jagan source/chunk of money is still in Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Chennai. As he can't do much in highly visible/surveyed/white money Amaravati area he's shifting his operating base to Visakapatnam where they can use Kadapa tactics to occupy lands/plots/mines. Some news point that amount of transactions in Visaka areas last 6 months may be same as done in last 4-5 years.

In the same program, the anchor was saying that YSRCP/Jagan will join BJP govt at the center and BJP will agree to it as they need Rajyasabha seats. In Telugu media, political debates happen around CTs/gossips/opinions over actual news.

See this Douthyam/Rayabharam from yesterday.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cit ... 128807.cms
There may be some negotiations on RS elections. It may be Mohanbabu becomes RS member. Some BJP members (Sitaraman, Prabhu, etc were elected in AP quota with TDP last time) need sponsors to get re-elected as chances from other states may have dried up.

Also there may be some settlements from recent support with votes on passing some bills. CM Jagan has his own albatross to have compulsions to work with BJP and BJP now needs votes to work with YCP. What I said is not even secret as his own right-hand man openly said they are doing all with BJP blessings or knowing. Of course, how BJP can screw YCP later is not part of this discussion but events (elections, capital, voting in bills, state politics) that are happening are interesting.

[Dileep]

Sabarimala update: 9 judge bench constituted. Hon. Jts Nariman and Chandrachud are not there. So isn't Hon. Jt. Malhotra. First session posted on 13th Jan.

Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswam Board apparently took another u-turn. Now the (newly appointed) president making stance that the rituals and conventions need to be maintained. The same guy was earlier wanting to bring women by any means whatsoever.

Taquiyya onlee.

[Sachin]

Sabarimala update: 9 judge bench constituted. Hon. Jts Nariman and Chandrachud are not there. So isn't Hon. Jt. Malhotra. First session posted on 13th Jan.

In a way this seems to be a prudent decision. No body can accuse this bench to have a bias, as none of the key players in the previous two verdicts are here to deliberate on the 8 points recommended in the latest court order. And the deliberation of the 9 member bench would be used to handle the original case in Sabari Mala. We should also understand that one point (out of is all about whether the Verdict of 2018 will be applicable in a temple like Sabari Mala. If that is a no, then what ever efforts put in by M/s Indira Jaisingh, Colin Gonsalves & Co would go a waste. And there is also an explicit Kerala High Court verdict given in 1993 or so which orders that young women are not be allowed in the temple. That HC Verdict still stands and have now reached its finality (nobody can appeal on it now). By third week of January, GoKL is also supposed to come up and share with another bench in Supreme Court the draft Act which would make Sabari Mala a separate temple trust (like how it is done in Tirupathi) with its own governance policies.

Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswam Board apparently took another u-turn. Now the (newly appointed) president making stance that the rituals and conventions need to be maintained.

A strange desease seems to be now hitting the commies and it is the "multiple father syndrome". The existential question on the patrilineal identity often makes them take diamterically opposite decisions in a quick period of time. The commies in KL have now clearly realised that the gimmicks played by the North Kerala communist mafia (who share no cultural traditions and belief systems with Hindus of erstwhile Travancore-Cochin kingdom) has actually harmed the party a lot. If they had continued with such policies the commies would have become a communist party of North Kerala sooner or later. They may have also realised that due to their ill-advised decisions more Hindus in the state are swaying to the right (especially when they see BJP actually now weilding immense power in the country).

[Theeran]

Justice Banumathi banned Jallikattu. She is part of this bench too.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Ma ... 2.ece/amp/

NEWS CITIES MADURAI
MADURAI
Lawyer reminisces the day jallikattu was banned first
L. Shaji Chellan
L. Shaji Chellan | Photo Credit: MA14ADVOCATE
Mohamed Imranullah S.
MADURAI: 14 JANUARY 2017 09:30 IST
UPDATED: 14 JANUARY 2017 09:30 IST

“March 29, 2006, is a date that I want to erase from the calendar, if I can do so. It was on that day a single judge of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court banned jallikattu for the first time and since then, I am carrying the black badge of having been a lawyer on record in that unfortunate case,” laments advocate L. Shaji Chellan.

Pointing out that he had actually filed a writ petition seeking permission for rekla (bullock cart) race at Thaniankootam in Ramanathapuram district, the lawyer claims that Justice R. Banumathi (now a Supreme Court judge) expanded the scope of the case on her own and banned rekla race, oxen race and jallikattu.

“ My client was K. Muniasamy Thevar, then vice-president of Karisalkulam panchayat. I began my arguments casually since other judges of the High Court had already allowed similar writ petitions and granted permission for rekla race in other districts. To my rude shock, Ms. Justice Banumathi took a differing view and questioned how could such races be conducted against the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,” he recalls.

Mr. Chellan says the judgement was passed immediately after lunch break on the day of admission itself without notice being issued to any party.

The only judgement he could cite in his favour on that day was the one passed by another single judge of the High Court, Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla (now retired after being elevated to the Supreme Court), who had granted permission for rekla race in Pillayarnatham in Thoothukudi district on August 13, 2004.

Deciding not to follow that judgement, Ms. Justice Banumathi wrote: “With due respect, I respectfully disagree with the above order. Law of the past does not fit in the present context. The Court should evolve law to suit the present need. This is all the more so when people need to be made aware of prevention of cruelty to animals and to show more concern towards the animals.”

She also recorded the submission of the then Government Advocate J. Viswanathan that the Director General of Police had issued a circular on January 15, 2006, against granting permission for rekla race since Animal Welfare Board of India had written to him citing the ban imposed by Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court in 1996 on bull fights known as Dhirio in Goa.

“In her judgement, Ms. Justice Banumathi wrote in length about reported torture meted out to bulls during jallikattu and rekla race. My submissions on customs, tradition and the sport being connected with religious sentiments were all brushed aside,” Mr. Chellan rues.

Referring to the judge’s observation that “jallikattu is no more fun or veera vilayattu (a brave sport)” but clearly a violation of animal rights and perpetration of cruelty on hapless animals, he says: “Nowhere in the world, people dare to engage with a bull with bare hands... If jallikattu is not a veera vilayattu, then what other sport can be?”

[Yagnasri]

Justice Banumathi banned Jallikattu. She is part of this bench too.

Bad news. But she is only one. So we start -1 as on today.

[ShyamSP]

Justice Banumathi banned Jallikattu. She is part of this bench too.

Bad news. But she is only one. So we start -1 as on today.

Lawyer Garu,
Bad new indeed. Is there a process for judge selection or to remove selected judge by common citizens or is it entirely up to chief justice to constitute bench and judges?

[Yagnasri]

Entirely with CJ. That is the problem in a way. But normally it should be like that. But our tragic situation is we were removed from all the judicial things by SC which is very bad for democracy in long run.

[Sachin]

Is there a process for judge selection or to remove selected judge by common citizens or is it entirely up to chief justice to constitute bench and judges?

Entirely with CJ. That is the problem in a way. But normally it should be like that.

The said justice is only one among a panel of 9 judges. Secondly, on a positive note two judges who had repeatedly made very "unprofessional" statements regarding their verdict outside the courts are not part of the nine member bench. So no body can accuse the bench of having any inherent bias. My understanding the in the various review petitions; especially drafted by Adv.Sai Deepak and Adv. Parasaran there are numerous points which clearly articulate the philosophy behind Hindu temples (and how it is different from worship places of non-Indian religions). They cannot be ignored.

And the Supreme Court verdict of 2018 only anulled a clause in an Act & Rule applicable to Hindu temples. That verdict does not explicitly say that young women should be allowed in Sabari Mala temple. Where as there is a Kerala High Court verdict of 1993 (or so) which orders state government to deny entry to young women at Sabari Mala. And that verdict has reached its finality and the Supreme Court verdicts of 2018 or 2019 does not even refer to the Kerala HC verdict. That is both the verdicts are in parallel. And last; another bench of SC has clearly told GoKL to come up with a new Act to make Sabari Mala a kind of temple trust like Tirupathi. Which means that Acts and Rules which were applicable in other Hindu temples may NOT be applicable at Sabari Mala. This again would make the Supreme Court verdict of 2018 irrelevant to the hill temple.

[ramana]

And in the background UCC is ready to be introduced. Any decision on Sabarimala will also be enforced on Churches and Mosques.

[Haresh]

From 2010, just shows that conversion is really a business enterprise.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11229170

[LakshmanPST]

And in the background UCC is ready to be introduced. Any decision on Sabarimala will also be enforced on Churches and Mosques.

I don't think so... AFAIK, UCC is only about personal laws, not related to matters of faith...

[Yagnasri]

For muslims Sharia is a matter of faith. Hence the opposition to UCC.

[LakshmanPST]

For muslims Sharia is a matter of faith. Hence the opposition to UCC.

Ofcourse it is...
But I was talking about applicability of Sabarimalai judgement for Mosques and Churches due to UCC, which won't happen...

[Lisa]

And in the background UCC is ready to be introduced. Any decision on Sabarimala will also be enforced on Churches and Mosques.

How far will it be enforced. Will catholic churches have to allow women priests? After all, nowhere in the bible does it say that priests have to be men. Correct?

[Rony]

https://twitter.com/oldhandhyd/status/1 ... 41953?s=20

Tenali, AP. TDP leader A Rajendra Prasad arranges overnight bail for all the jihadis who threatened Hindu activist during yesterday's bandh call.
Enemies of Hindus - Don't have to look far to locate one.

[ramana]

Folks I see too much Rhona Dhona about the two Telugu states.
Please be circumspect in posting every trivial thing you find on SM.

Lisa lets see.

[Sachin]

And in the background UCC is ready to be introduced. Any decision on Sabarimala will also be enforced on Churches and Mosques.

I don't think so... AFAIK, UCC is only about personal laws, not related to matters of faith...

Uniform Civil Code may not have an impact on religious practises. What it would unify would be the laws related to marriage, divorce, rights on property sharing etc. So if there are any religious practises related to these areas, then the religious law will have to take a hike. For example, if UCC is applied bigamy becomes illegal and no Muslim can quote his holy book and try to keep four fives. Divorce proceedings also would be same for all religions, and so stuff like Triple Talaq etc. would be illegal. UCC actually would hit the Muslim community more than Hindus or Christians. Because their holy book is also kind of a "code of conduct", which would now be in direct conflict with laws made in a democratic society.

[Rony]

In search of a capital: Andhra Pradesh’s hundred-year-old saga

The hunt to identify a capital for the Seemandhra people, who now constitute the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, is a hundred year saga. Uncertainty over what would be the capital always haunted this region except for a period of five decades when Hyderabad was the capital of composite Telugu state. Political compulsions, irony of history, pusillanimous policies often driven by vested interests, are responsible for this painful journey of the Seemandhra people in search of a capital.

As part of the combined Madras state, the Telugu people of this region felt discriminated. The trigger came when a Tamil speaking magistrate brought in a Tamil speaking person as an attender in his office at Guntur. The Telugu speaking people became furious and felt insulted that they were not considered eligible even for lower level jobs in their own region. This led to the first conference in 1913 at Bapatla to represent the interests of the Telugu people in the composite Madras state. This desire of the Telugu speaking people, in fact, sowed the seeds of movement for linguistic states in India.

The struggle for linguistic reorganisation of states was embraced by the freedom struggle as a democratic movement. However, the immediate rulers of independent India though sympathetic to the cause were skeptical of its consequences, given the widespread disunity in the country at that point in time. But, the democratic urge of the Telugu people to carve out a separate state from Madras was accomplished after the martyrdom of Potti Sreeramulu. Thus, Andhra was the harbinger of linguistic reorganisation in democratic India.

The Telugu leadership fought for rights over Madras city. But it was denied, breaking the long politico-geographical association of the Telugu people with Madras. In fact, until NT Rama Rao assumed office as Chief Minister, all Telugu speaking people were identified as ‘Madrasis’ by north Indians, including those in the national capital.

Combined Telugu state

The Andhra state was thus formed in 1953 with Kurnool as its capital. But this capital was short-lived as Andhra was merged with the Telugu speaking parts of Hyderabad state to form Andhra Pradesh in 1956 with Hyderabad as its capital. Hyderabad was the natural choice for the combined Telugu state, as Kurnool was ill-equipped to serve as the capital of a nascent state. In contrast, Hyderabad was already a major city in the country with requisite infrastructure due to its royal history.

In fact, there were a lot of apprehensions and misgivings in the Telangana region over the merger of the two Telugu speaking areas. Telangana was under feudal dispensation, while Andhra was under the British Raj. However, Hyderabad becoming the capital of the combined state also helped in cementing the uneasy relationship between Telangana and Andhra regions. Several promises were made to the people of the Telangana region in the form of gentlemen’s agreement to assuage their feelings that they may be marginalised in the composite Telugu state. As these promises were unmet, the movement for a separate state of Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital refused to die down. This finally led to the bifurcation of the combined Telugu state with Seemandhra region now constituting the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

Bifurcation and residuary Andhra Pradesh

The people of the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, who are described as Seemandrites, had nearly six decades of emotional, economic, physical and social connect with the city of pearls. But they were deprived of Hyderabad as it became the capital of the newly formed state of Telangana.

In fact, the loss of the capital Hyderabad was the bone of contention during the movement for the separate state and the run-up to the bifurcation. The people of Seemandhra rose in protest against the bifurcation, while Telangana region saw widespread support for a separate state. There were even demands to make Hyderabad a union territory to be shared by both Andhra and Telangana as the capital, on the lines of Punjab and Haryana sharing Chandigarh. But history and geography went against the wishes of the Seemandhra region. Hyderabad state with Hyderabad as its capital existed between 1948-1956. Hyderabad is geographically located in Telangana, making it difficult for the Seemandhra people to realise their dream of retaining rights over the city.

Given the absence of a readymade capital city, Andhra Pradesh was allowed to share Hyderabad for a period of 10 years. Thus, the city became a common capital for both the Telugu states.

Why AP let go of Hyderabad as capital

However, the socio-political idiom soon changed. The residuary Andhra Pradesh left Hyderabad much before the 10-year period expired. There are distinct schools of explanation for why this happened. Firstly, the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu struck an emotional chord stating that they would look to their own state, however inadequate the capital may be. The loss of Hyderabad and the arbitrary division of the state much to the displeasure and disenchantment of the Seemandhra people was Naidu’s major political and electoral plank since 2014 until the special status dominated the political narrative. Leaving Hyderabad and embarking upon the Amravati journey was the outcome of such politics of sentiment.

Naidu’s critics have altogether a different narrative to offer. They claim that he left Hyderabad hurriedly as he was caught red-handed conniving in a cash-for-vote scam that involved an influential TDP legislator bribing a nominated MLA to vote in their favor in the legislative council elections.

Thus, Andhra Pradesh began its destiny in 2014 with Amaravati as its green field capital. It derived its name from the historical town of Amaravati, the capital of the sprawling Satavahana dynasty. Naidu embarked upon building the capital despite Hyderabad being the common capital for 10 years per the bifurcation act of 2014. Though the expert committee appointed to look into the setting up of the capital recommended against constructing a green field capital in a new state plagued by revenue and developmental deficits, the Chandrababu Naidu led TDP government went ahead with its grandiose Amaravati project. Naidu claimed that Amaravati would be a world class city with world class infrastructure and opportunities. Over 33,000 acres were mobilised through the policy of land pooling. Thus, the idea was to make the new capital along with the Vijayawada – Guntur stretch becoming a major metropolis.

Since the inception of the idea, Amaravati always had its critics. Financial unviability and environmental unsustainability were the major objections to the mega new capital. Naidu went ahead with his unilateral decision on Amaravati compelling YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to comply. Naidu’s idea was never to build a political consensus over the new capital, but an attempt to have an indelible personal and political impact on the fledgling capital city.

In a frantic bid to erase Naidu’s imprint on the contemporary history of the state, especially its capital Amaravati, current Chief Minister Jagan is now toying with the idea of having three capitals with Visakhapatnam as its executive capital. Amaravati, designated as the legislative capital, will only have a lackluster presence. Jagan is committed to his plan of distributive capitals. Though certain functions of the capital may be distributed to Amaravati and Kurnool, it is clear that Visakhapatnam would now be the real capital of Andhra Pradesh. With every other party opposing the move, the endurance of the Visakhapatnam capital story authored by Jagan Mohan Reddy is both uncertain and unpredictable.

Thus, the Seemandhra people’s hundred-year quest for a capital is still unfinished, with Visakhapatnam being the latest episode.

[Rony]

In capital shifting away from Amaravati, how Kammas lost a ‘paradise’

A paradise lost. This is how one can sum up the mood of the Kammas agitating on the shifting of the capital of Andhra Pradesh out of Amaravati. The die is cast. The Jagan Mohan Reddy led YSRCP government has decided to hold the last session of the state Assembly on January 18 to get approval to shift the capital to Visakhapatnam in the backward Uttarandhra region.

The loss of capital for the Kammas stems from the rise of political dominance by their rivals, the Reddys. This is the third time in history that the Kammas, considered economically powerful, have lost out in the game of one-upmanship against the Reddys regarding the state capital.

The first time it happened when Kurnool in Rayalseema was chosen as the capital of Andhra state by the Reddys headed by Congress stalwart Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. NG Ranga, the mascot of the Kammas, unwittingly walked into the Reddys’ trap with his anti-Communist rhetoric. The decks had been almost cleared for locating the capital in Vijayawada at the time of the formation of Andhra state, with the integration of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions in 1953. Ranga feared that if the capital was located in Vijayawada, it would only help the Communists reinforce their citadel. His clique was left to settle for the high court in Guntur in the Rayalseema region.

The second time it came in 2014 during the UPA-II regime. The central government was positively considering creating a separate state with Telangana and Rayalaseema areas as an offshoot of the Telangana statehood movement. A strong pitch for “Rayala Telangana” was raised by some vocal leaders from Rayalaseema such as JC Diwakar Reddy and TG Venkatesh.

Jagan made a futile bid to oppose such a pitch, fearing his community from Kadapa and Kurnool, if merged with Telangana, might have to play second fiddle to the Telangana leadership. The silence reportedly maintained by TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu on the question of Rayala Telangana turned out to be a historical blunder in the furtherance of the Kammas’ political power. Had Naidu joined the Rayala Telangana pitch and used his manoeuvring skills with the UPA top brass at the time of state bifurcation, he could have successfully staved off this existential threat posed by Jagan now, commented a senior TDP leader.

The third time it came in the form of Naidu’s failure to build a pan-AP capital sentiment after losing Hyderabad as a combined capital to Telangana. The lack of inclusive growth during Naidu’s latest tenure and bearing the blame as a protector of his community interests helped Jagan take his party to power with a landslide victory in the state and Parliament elections in 2019.

‘Odd man out’ in caste coalitions

When matinee mogul NT Rama Rao, Naidu’s mentor and father-in-law, floated the TDP in the early 1980s, large sections across the social spectrum were enthralled by his charisma and rallied behind him. OBCs, Muslims and even major sections from the SCs formed part of NTR’s social engineering at the time.

After Naidu took over the reins from NTR, there were many flip-flops in the party’s organisational chemistry. Naidu tried to create a solid vote bank by roping in the Madigas, a Scheduled Caste sub-sect, with the incentive of categorisation. After the categorisation failed to become a reality, Naidu began to woo the Malas from Jagan’s fold, antagonising the Madigas. He sought to build a strong support base with the numerically strong Kapus with a promise of BC status. The move infuriated other BCs who had remained the party’s backbone since NTR’s days.

The Kammas, who have a large presence in Krishna and Guntur districts, cheered when Naidu’s TDP government decided to locate the capital in Amaravati, right at their doorsteps, after the state bifurcation, ignoring the recommendation of the Sivaramakrishnan Committee. The committee favoured Donakonda in Prakasam district, the gateway to Rayalaseema.

The location of the capital in an area dotted with patches of farmland with low economic value in the floodplains of the Krishna river saw several rags-to-riches stories in Kamma households, giving credence to reports of Naidu’s alleged hidden agenda behind the capital move. The price of an acre of land shot up to Rs 1.5 crore and above from Rs 7-10 lakh in areas like Thulluru, and the Kammas, basically a land-owning community, benefited hugely from Naidu’s “largesse”. Wealth flowed into the households and no household, by and large, seemed left without sleek high-end cars. Some farmers bought swathes of low-priced lands in Uttarandhra and drylands in Prakasam district, with the money earned from their capital land.

However, some analysts say the capital benefited only a small number of land-owning Kamma farmers in the cluster of 29 capital villages. It is wrong to construe that the capital brought opulence to the community all over the region, said an analyst wishing to stay anonymous. The rise of the Kammas as an economic force happened a long time ago, much before the establishment of the capital. The community diversified from agriculture with the surplus income gained after the construction of irrigation dams on the Godavari and the Krishna rivers during the British period and the subsequent green revolution in the 1960s, he added.

As an agrarian community, Kammas went to Telangana and Karnataka to purchase lands at cheaper rates before the construction of the irrigation projects, thus earning the moniker of “settlers”. It is a long-time dream for the community to gain supremacy in politics right from the period of Tripuraneni Ramaswamy Chowdary, who was with the Justice Party, but the Reddys did not cede ground until NTR made forays into their political domain.

Speaking to TNM, K Nageswar, an analyst from Hyderabad, attributed the Kammas’ failure in building a strong coalition with other communities to their typical business-oriented and isolated living. “Camp villages” built by Kamma settlers from Andhra away from traditional Telangana villages in districts like Nizamabad is a case in point, he said. He attributed the lone battle now waged by the Kamma farmers in Amaravati, with little participation from other socially backward communities, to their social alienation.

[ShyamSP]

In capital shifting away from Amaravati, how Kammas lost a ‘paradise’

... when Naidu’s TDP government decided to locate the capital in Amaravati, right at their doorsteps, after the state bifurcation, ignoring the recommendation of the Sivaramakrishnan Committee. The committee favoured Donakonda in Prakasam district, the gateway to Rayalaseema.

Sivaramkrishnan committee gave Vijaywada-Guntur region (called it VGTM) as the first preference with the added advantage of very good accessibility and being right in the middle of the state. so there is NO ignoring. Where exactly (NAVIC coordinates) was local government decision and TDP chose Amaravati in that region. Based on or in parallel their comments land availability for 10K acres, CBN later developed a scheme of self-developing land pooling model for ~33K acres instead of land acquisition. So lack of enough land issue in VGTM was solved. He copied his own HUDA model of creating Cyberabad adjacent to Hyderabad to do CRDA for Amaravati as the capital and also development area adjacent to Vijawada-Guntur. (Also to avoid a lot of FUD about money, capital part may require around 20K crores where 80% work is already done and important buildings are functional)

This news is from 2014 so no need to add masala from current politics to old recommendations and decisions and the report is available for everyone to see.
https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/inde ... ext/106416
...
Rajbhavan needs 15 acres land
Assembly Bhavan needs 80-100 acres land Suggested for the establishment of CM, Ministers, Offices, Secreteriart near VGTM.
All these need 20 acres land Near VGTM only 1,458 acres land is available while the capital needs 10,00 acres.
Land acquisition will take 3-4yrs and the land acquisition on the present market rates is a costly affair. The land rates have been increased at Vijayawada & Guntur.
Capital and development should be decentralised. Nuzvid, Musunur, Amaravtahi, Pulichintala can be utilised for few government offices.
...

Report in PDF: https://www.cprindia.org/sites/default/ ... _Final.pdf

[Rony]

Sivaramkrishnan committee gave Vijaywada-Guntur region (called it VGTM) as the first preference with the added advantage of very good accessibility and being right in the middle of the state. so there is NO ignoring.

From your own link,

https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/inde ... ext/106416

The area between Vijayawada-Guntur may impose threat for the economy to the state, apart from creating environmental degradation.
The ring road near VGTM may increase the land rates beyond limit, apart from a heavy threat imposed to fertile lands.

It further says as you put it

Capital and development should be decentralised. Nuzvid, Musunur, Amaravtahi, Pulichintala can be utilised for few government offices.

Isnt this exactly what is happening. Few govt offices in Amaravati, Few in Vizag. So what exactly is the problem ? The protesters in Amaravati are angry because the land values wont increase as much as they hoped for if the capital gets decentralized and wont be a mega metrapolis as planned by CBN. Is that not true ?

[ShyamSP]

Bullets may not capture but you can check sections 3, 4, 6 in the report given directly. Main point I made was that what was done was NOT ignoring but within the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA), 2014, Center-appointed committee recommendations. Once recommendations were done and AP state took the decision and all state parties and assembly, Center, President and Supreme Court approved them.

From Report:
"3.1.Expert Committee to Study the Alternatives for a New Capital for Andhra PradeshPART III: CAPITAL FUNCTIONS3.1.The planning, design and functioning of a city is a long process. The Committee during it short existence ofless thanfive months has looked at three possible approaches:
a)One approach is a Greenfieldlocation in which asingle city/super cityis created.
b)The second approach is expanding existing cities.
c)The third approach is distributed development."

AP took option (a) of recommendation. option (c) mostly talk about some departments puttig in where resources are which can be different from Capital decision per se. Capital/Rajdhani is of main ruling branches (Assembly, Secretariat, Court). High court can be at a different location given other states' examples but that is in the purview of President and SC and they chose Amaravati. Note key word "option" for state government to choose per APRA 2014.

From Report:
"as the AP Reorganisation Act,2014 permits, the future location has to be considered.On option is tolocate the High Court in Visakhapatnam. ... If the High Court is located in Vizag, a bench in Rayalaseemamay be considered. It is however upto the President of India to decide on the location of the new High Court of Andhra. This will no doubt be done after appropriate consultations with the Chief Justice ofIndia and the Chief Justice ofthe Andhra Pradesh and Telangana High Court, Governmentof Andhra Pradesh and the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. "

Once some decisions and approvals were implemented from 2014 for APRA and a lot of progress and contracts have been done per those implementations, any changes now are NOT per APRA but local political decisions subject to state, center, and concurrent powers and any violations from changes should be resolved or approved by SC, Center, and state. and paid by the AP state mostly and center if it made any commitments directly.

[Rony]

Sivaramkrishnan committee did not support a Green field capital. It was listed as one of the option because CBN again and again insisted his desire for it, which they allude to in their report itself. But its clear the committee did not support it.

From section 3 of the Sivaramkrishnan committee report

3.2. Creating A Greenfield Capital City

3.2.1. The AP government and the Chief Minister from time to time have indicated their desire to have a “world class city”. They have also appointed a Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of Urban Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh, to examine possible locations for a capital and subsequently decide on design aspects.

3.2.2. In the contemporary state where the nature of governmental functions are both highly varied and innovative, there is no particular merit in seeking to locate all government offices in one single place. It should also be noted that compared to the situation which existed in the country soon after independence when entirely new cities like Chandigarh with about 115 sq. kms. Gandhi Nagar with 177 sq. kms. and Bhubaneswar with 419 sq. kms.(including the existing city) could be conceived and built, such large scale acquisition of land and development is much more difficult now. Chhattisgarh given its sparse development could manage to assemble 226 sq. kms. It appears most unlikely that in Andhra Pradesh vast areas of government land on this scale will be available. On the other hand the existing and proposed rail and road connectivity between the different cities of AP which can be significantly improved and expanded, renders the search for a single super city location unnecessary. Furthermore composite Andhra has been a leader in the country in developing electronic communication system, especially between government institutions, Andhra has
set the example in overcoming geographical distance by modern communication. Therefore at this point of time distances need not be a deterrent in the location of government offices.

3.2.3. The Committee does not consider a single large capital city as a feasible option available to Andhra Pradesh as of now. The existing concentration in Hyderabad of the legislature, the courts and the executive comprising numerous ministries, departments, commissionerates and directorates has happened over several years. This concentration has itself been a major bone of contention in the process of bifurcation.

[ShyamSP]

Sivaramkrishnan committee did not support a Green field capital. It was listed as one of the option because CBN again and again insisted his desire for it, which they allude to in their report itself. But its clear the committee did not support it.

From section 3 of the Sivaramkrishnan committee report

3.2. Creating A Greenfield Capital City

3.2.1. The AP government and the Chief Minister from time to time have indicated their desire to have a “world class city”. They have also appointed a Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of Urban Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh, to examine possible locations for a capital and subsequently decide on design aspects.

3.2.2. In the contemporary state where the nature of governmental functions are both highly varied and innovative, there is no particular merit in seeking to locate all government offices in one single place. It should also be noted that compared to the situation which existed in the country soon after independence when entirely new cities like Chandigarh with about 115 sq. kms. Gandhi Nagar with 177 sq. kms. and Bhubaneswar with 419 sq. kms.(including the existing city) could be conceived and built, such large scale acquisition of land and development is much more difficult now. Chhattisgarh given its sparse development could manage to assemble 226 sq. kms. It appears most unlikely that in Andhra Pradesh vast areas of government land on this scale will be available. On the other hand the existing and proposed rail and road connectivity between the different cities of AP which can be significantly improved and expanded, renders the search for a single super city location unnecessary. Furthermore composite Andhra has been a leader in the country in developing electronic communication system, especially between government institutions, Andhra has
set the example in overcoming geographical distance by modern communication. Therefore at this point of time distances need not be a deterrent in the location of government offices.

3.2.3. The Committee does not consider a single large capital city as a feasible option available to Andhra Pradesh as of now. The existing concentration in Hyderabad of the legislature, the courts and the executive comprising numerous ministries, departments, commissionerates and directorates has happened over several years. This concentration has itself been a major bone of contention in the process of bifurcation.

Looks like that comment is based on assumption that land is NOT available. It is good that commission considered pros and cons of options. Once land-pooling was unexpectedly successful later for 33K acres and made that assumption is NOT valid. Even AP state/CM seemed to be that not sure of the success before looking at the report note in 3.3.1.

"3.3. Expanding existing cities
3.3.1. Notwithstanding the Committee’s views in regard to a single city in a new location, the A P Government itself does not appear to favour the setting up of a green field city. The Chief Minister has repeatedly mentioned that 2 or 3 of the existing cities like Vizag-Tirupathi and Vijayawada-Guntur may expand mega city sizes while 13 to 14 other cities in Andhra will grow to be million plus cities or more."

From section 3.3, it seem VGTM considered as better place while giving valid cons. In conclusion it still gave option to government if it find large parcel of land (which turned out that way later).

Eventual decision is fusion of option 1 & 2 Green field after solving land issue with in the existing cities leveraging existing accessibility and connectivity infra of VGTM. It became Cyberabad ("Amaravati" area) adjacent to Hyderabad (VGTM) like option to get best of many things with difference new "Cyberabad" also got Capital component. Even I don't like Con of losing good agro lands for urban. But it is best compromise for all people in the state including Rayalaseema people. In other 2 options it would have been inconvenient to one region or other (Vizag agrea bad for Rayalaseema or Tirupati area bad for UttarAndhra considering distance.)

"PART VI – Summary and Conclusion
6.1 Regarding a green field capital city, the Committee itself is not in favour of creating one for Andhra at this stage. However, if the A P Government wants to pursue this option, it has to carry out a careful search for locations where suitably large parcels of government land may be available.
6.1.2 In regard to expanding existing cities, the Committee supports general approach of the A P Government. However, before taking up the expansion of the existing cities, it is important that a proper assessment of infrastructure needs and possible environmental impact should be carried out. Ad hoc and hurried locations of government offices may prove to be inappropriate and wasteful."

[Rony]

The committee was not in favor of Green field capital not just because of scarcity of land but also because of loss of fertile lands and more importantly because the committee did not want to repeat Hyderabad in Amaravati. They clearly state it below

In the contemporary state where the nature of governmental functions are both highly varied and innovative, there is no particular merit in seeking to locate all government offices in one single place

But because they know that CBN already made up his mind for a "world class capital" and will ignore their recommendation not to have a Green field capital, they did the next best thing which is recommending to the govt to carefully search for locations keeping infrastructure, land availability and environmental concerns in mind . That is the gist of the below points

PART VI – Summary and Conclusion

6.1 Regarding a green field capital city, the Committee itself is not in favour of creating one for Andhra at this stage. However, if the A P Government wants to pursue this option, it has to carry out a careful search for locations where suitably large parcels of government land may be available.
6.1.2 In regard to expanding existing cities, the Committee supports general approach of the A P Government. However, before taking up the expansion of the existing cities, it is important that a proper assessment of infrastructure needs and possible environmental impact should be carried out. Ad hoc and hurried locations of government offices may prove to be inappropriate and wasteful."

To sump it up, CBN ignored the central recommendation of Sivaramakrishna commitee not to have a Green field capital and centralize all govt offices in one location .

[ShyamSP]

The committee was not in favor of Green field capital not just because of scarcity of land but also because of loss of fertile lands and more importantly because the committee did not want to repeat Hyderabad in Amaravati. They clearly state it below

In the contemporary state where the nature of governmental functions are both highly varied and innovative, there is no particular merit in seeking to locate all government offices in one single place

But because they know that CBN already made up his mind for a "world class capital" and will ignore their recommendation not to have a Green field capital, they did the next best thing which is recommending to the govt to carefully search for locations keeping infrastructure, land availability and environmental concerns in mind . That is the gist of the below points

PART VI – Summary and Conclusion

6.1 Regarding a green field capital city, the Committee itself is not in favour of creating one for Andhra at this stage. However, if the A P Government wants to pursue this option, it has to carry out a careful search for locations where suitably large parcels of government land may be available.
6.1.2 In regard to expanding existing cities, the Committee supports general approach of the A P Government. However, before taking up the expansion of the existing cities, it is important that a proper assessment of infrastructure needs and possible environmental impact should be carried out. Ad hoc and hurried locations of government offices may prove to be inappropriate and wasteful."

To sump it up, CBN ignored the central recommendation of Sivaramakrishna commitee not to have a Green field capital and centralize all govt offices in one location .

There are NO central recommendations but all options are given with pros and cons. You can argue selecting any option is ignoring the other options. But that is not really ignoring. The only somewhat definite statement they made in conclusion points to VGTM for Government buildings (section 6.1.7) and VGTM as the first suitable place. "VGTM" was what the decision taken finally.

But the final decision was sort of/hybrid of greenfield city (Amaravati) as expanding of the existing city (Vijayawada-Guntur), which is "Cyberabad-as-extension-of-Hyderabad" model. Making Kuppam, Adoni, Donekonda or Tekkali or Nalamala forest as capital would have been a true example of greenfield city (option-a in section 3.1) or selecting Tirupati, Vijayawada, or Vizag directly would have been an example capital with expanding city (option-b in section 3.2).

As for 2014 APRA is concerned Amaravati was selected with the process laid out in the Parliament Act and was done deal in 2014 to proceed with further process of Capital.

[ShyamSP]

They are turning AP into Pakistan or Kashmir before 370 abolition.

Police Full Force at Mandadam | Farmers Fires on Police |Police Vs Farmers | AP Capital Issue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1yyeJBIYeU
(look at the 100s of police threatening marches through villages starting at 00:28 sec)

MLA Dwarampudi Comments Effect : YCP Activists Attacks With Stones On Janasena Activists | AP24x7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOxyPOGtXXI

[Rony]

So Pawan Kalyan wants alliance with BJP but Amit Shah wants nothing short of merger.


Pawan Kalyan meets BJP leaders in Delhi. What's cooking ?

Eyebrows have gone up over Pawan Kalyan’s airdash to Delhi to meet top leaders of the BJP, including Working president JP Nadda. The only Jana Sena leader present alongside Pawan was Nadendla Manohar. Interestingly, Bengaluru MP Tejeswi Surya who had met Pawan last month was present at the meeting, leading to speculation that he may have helped set it up.

Both Surya and Sunil Deodhar, who is the party incharge for Andhra Pradesh, tweeted about having discussed political issues pertaining to Andhra Pradesh but no one is convinced that it was a mere informal meeting.

What’s cooking is obviously then a question that is bothering Pawan’s fans and Jana Sainiks apart from Andhra political watchers. According to the BJP camp, Pawan is keen on working with BJP as a political partner. Comparisons are drawn to the smaller Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu that are sailing with the BJP while having pockets of influence in the state. The Powerstar is reportedly also keen to use this relationship to ensure Jaganmohan Reddy’s plan to shift the administrative capital out of Visakhapatnam does not succeed and is blocked by the Centre.

A working relationship is what Pawan had with the BJP as part of the TDP-BJP-Jana Sena alliance in 2014. That time, the actor only campaigned for the NDA but did not contest any seats himself.

But the BJP sources say Amit Shah is categorical that nothing short of a merger is acceptable. The dilemma for Pawan is that if he merges the Jana Sena, he would be accused of doing a Chiranjeevi 2.0 who too merged his Praja Rajyam with the Congress after his 2009 political debut did not elevate him to the chief minister’s chair.

But what is within the realm of possibility is that the BJP and Jana Sena could contest the local body elections together in Andhra Pradesh in 2020. If that happens, it will be a 180 degree turn for Pawan who contested the assembly elections in 2019 in an alliance with the Left parties and the BSP. But if you see it from the starting point of 2014, it will be a ghar waapsi of sorts.

Jagan meanwhile is repealing the CRDA Act, 2014.

Jagan Reddy govt moves to scrap Amaravati capital region law

In a move that will seal the fate of Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh, the Jaganmohan Reddy government plans to repeal the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act, 2014.

Sources said all the Rules, notifications and Government Orders issued under the CRDA Act, which sought to develop some 33,000 acres in the capital region of Amaravati, would cease to exist.

The areas covered under the CRDA would be vested with the VGTM (Vijaywada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri) Urban Development Authority.

Farmers who contributed land to the Pooling Scheme, will get annuity benefits for another three years beyond the period promised. Additionally, they will get 200 square yards for every acre contributed, the sources said.

All the farmers and others who surrendered their land for the Pooling Scheme will be entitled to all rights “including but not limited to right of guaranteed developed or reconstituted plot.”

All the loans sanctioned to the Capital Region Development Authority and employees working for it will be transferred to VGTM Urban Development Authority. Some of the employees may be moved to other local bodies or government agencies.

Loan status

According to sources, all the loans taken by the CRDA would be transferred to VGMTUDA and the government would inform lenders about the change.

“The proposed Act that seeks to repeal the CRDA Act would assure lenders about the loans sanctioned. It will continue to act as the guarantor,” they said.

According to the draft Act, subscriptions to bonds and financial instruments shall be redeemed in accordance with the terms of the instruments. “It shall be open to the government to provide for consensual premature termination of the obligations arising from the instruments,” a source said.

The Government move comes in the face of former Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu leading a protest urging the State government not to shift the Capital.

While there are anti-govt agitations happening in Amaravati spearheaded largely by TDP, a parallel pro-govt agitations are happening in Visakhapatnam and Kurnool spearheaded by YSRCP

Agitations in Visakhapatnam, Kurnool back government plan

Agitations in support of Executive Capital in Visakhapatnam and for Judicial Capital at Kurnool are gathering steam.

On Friday, Visakhapatnam and its neighbourhood reverberated with slogans in support of the proposal to shift the capital to the City of Destiny during the rallies taken out by Tourism Minister Avanti Srinivas and YSRC leaders.

Rallies, led by minister Muttamsetti Srinivasarao and YSR Congress leaders, were taken out in Gajuwaka, Pedagantyada, Anakapalle, Chodavaram, Madhurawada, and other places.

Addressing the rally at Isukathota, Srinivasa Rao said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy made an announcement regarding plans to make Visakhapatnam as executive capital to ensure the development of North Andhra, which remained backward for several decades.

However, it was strange that the TDP leaders from the region opposing the decision, he said. Earlier addressing a rally at Gajuwaka along with MLA Tippala Nagireddy, the minister said Chandrababu was trying to foment trouble and dividing people on caste and regional lines.

[Rony]

Meanwhile in Telangana,

BJP MLA Raja Singh put under house arrest, says Owaisi’s party behind the attack on Hindus in Bhainsa

Raja Singh, BJP MLA from Goshamahal, Telangana, was placed under house arrest on Tuesday after he announced his decision to visit the Karyakartas of Hindu Vahini in Bhainsa town, where communal clashes had erupted on Sunday night. Soon after he made the announcement on Monday, a large number of policemen were deployed at his residence to prevent him from undertaking the visit.

The BJP leader, on Tuesday, accused the Police of political partisanship and claimed that the leaders of TRS and AIMIM were permitted to visit the area but not him. “I planned to go Bhainsa on Tuesday but before I could start, a police team placed me under house arrest and posted police picket outside my house to prevent me from stepping out,” he said.

Earlier, he had accused Asaduddin Owaisi’s party of being responsible for the mob violence against Hindus where houses were set on fire and looted.

More on the Bhainsa voilence

Jihadi mob attacks Hindu homes in Bhainsa - 18 houses belonging to Hindus burnt and properties looted

The trouble began when a Muslim youth was admonished by elders for his rash driving and for using abusive language against the residents of Korba street, Bhainsa town, according to local people.

Keeping this in mind, the Muslim youth returned with a mob of around 400-500 Muslims after 9 pm, and started violence by burning parked two wheelers and pelting stones on residents. The mob also cut the water pipes of fire engines which rushed to the spot to extinguish the rapidly spreading fire.

It has been reported by locals that the mob has exclusively targeted houses belonging to members of Hindu Vahini organisation and went on a rampage with criminal intent.

In this violence, eight police personnel were injured. As per the latest reports, section 144 has been imposed in the town. Internet and phone services are also reportedly not working.

Jagan met KCR


KCR Welcomes Jagan's Three-capital Formula, Cautions against Farmers Protest in Amaravati

Both the leaders reached a consensus on transferring Godavari river water to the irrigated area served under Krishna river.

The chief ministers also decided to soon resolve issues mentioned in the 9th and 10th schedule of the Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Act (concerning division of government corporations, institutes and others).

The duo said they felt that farmers of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana's Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts, whose irrigation needs are served under the Krishna river, are facing shortage of water in view of inconsistent availability of water in Krishna, it said.

They decided that the irrigation needs of these farmers can be met by transferring Godavari river water to the irrigated area served under Krishna. They decided to discuss in detail on the modalities for transfer of Godavari water in their next meeting, it said.

Regarding YSR Congress government's proposal to decentralise the administration by developing Visakhapatnam as executive capital, Rao is said to have supported the move.

Sources said after Reddy explained to Rao the social and political circumstances under which he is mulling the idea to develop Vishakhapatnam and Kurnool along with Amaravati, the latter gave him some suggestions on the same.

Rao is also said to have cautioned the first-time chief minister of the ongoing agitations by farmers of Amaravati who are protesting against the move. The farmers had donated lands during the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government led by N Chandrababu Naidu for the development of the capital city.

[ShyamSP]

So Pawan Kalyan wants alliance with BJP but Amit Shah wants nothing short of merger.


Pawan Kalyan meets BJP leaders in Delhi. What's cooking ?

A working relationship is what Pawan had with the BJP as part of the TDP-BJP-Jana Sena alliance in 2014. That time, the actor only campaigned for the NDA but did not contest any seats himself.

But the BJP sources say Amit Shah is categorical that nothing short of a merger is acceptable. The dilemma for Pawan is that if he merges the Jana Sena, he would be accused of doing a Chiranjeevi 2.0 who too merged his Praja Rajyam with the Congress after his 2009 political debut did not elevate him to the chief minister’s chair.

But what is within the realm of possibility is that the BJP and Jana Sena could contest the local body elections together in Andhra Pradesh in 2020. If that happens, it will be a 180 degree turn for Pawan who contested the assembly elections in 2019 in an alliance with the Left parties and the BSP. But if you see it from the starting point of 2014, it will be a ghar waapsi of sorts.

PRP-2.0 was big negative for JS as this was there in voters mind including Kapus for long time since the start of JS. JS can't grow beyond the share they got. BJP sees JS juicy 6% share and wants to acquire 6% to become 7% party from 1%. Beyond that BJP needs to attract Kapu voters but not all are not keen on BJP as none really embraced the way they did PRP. Unless BJP breaks Rayalseema there is no hope beyond 7% and for that to happen they need to break YCP voters esp RS Reddies too.

By taking a suo-moto case on law-and-order breakdown and constitutional violations, AP High court gave JS/BJP and TDP to take YCP in fight. We need to see how they can leverage this crisis/fight to next local elections.

[ShyamSP]

Jagan meanwhile is repealing the CRDA Act, 2014.

Jagan Reddy govt moves to scrap Amaravati capital region law

In a move that will seal the fate of Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh, the Jaganmohan Reddy government plans to repeal the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act, 2014.

Sources said all the Rules, notifications and Government Orders issued under the CRDA Act, which sought to develop some 33,000 acres in the capital region of Amaravati, would cease to exist.

The areas covered under the CRDA would be vested with the VGTM (Vijaywada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri) Urban Development Authority.

Government took lands, loans, bonds, Center's and investors' money under it, they can't cancel those without clearing or explaining how they clear or re-underwriting contracts/liabilities so they may be court case with Stay on it. I'm not sure violation clauses that trigger and timelines for repaying.

If they want to just change name canceling liabilities, it is government privilege to name whatever.