VIJAYAWADA:  Expressing unhappiness over Kanna Lakshminarayana’s letter to Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan urging the latter not to give assent to the two capital bills, the BJP central leadership is learnt to have asked the party-state president as to why the letter, which was ‘against’ the party’s stand, was sent.  
The central leadership, sources said, is of the view that it is not unconstitutional for a State to decide on its capital. “The central leadership is miffed with the letter, which was sent without any consultation either with the state unit or the national unit. The same was conveyed to Kanna as well. The Centre had already clarified that it was for the states to decide on the capital. In this context, how can it be against the Constitution? The letter written echoed the sentiments of the TDP,” a senior leader in the know of things told TNIE. 

Earlier in the day, Kanna sent a letter to the Governor requesting him not to give assent to the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill and the APCRDA Repeal Bill sent by the State government. Claiming that the decentralisation bill was against the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, which has a provision for only one capital, and against the wishes of the people, he informed the Governor, “ The two bills were referred to the select committee by the Legislative Council, which are pending with it, and also the matter is sub judice...

The move of the government to decentralise the capital is unacceptable to all the stakeholders who contributed to the development of Amaravati. I request you to consider the constitutional aspects of the matter and not to grant assent to the bills,” Kanna urged. Making the party’s stand clear, party sources asserted that the BJP has always been in favour of Amaravati so that the interests of the farmers, who had given lands for Amaravati’s development, would be protected.

“The political resolution passed by the state unit was also along those lines. Whatever our party national secretary and co-incharge of Andhra Pradesh, Sunil Deodhar, has said is our official party stand,” sources added. For the record, Sunil Deodhar, speaking on the occasion of completion of 200 days of agitation in Amaravati earlier this month, clarified that the Central government has no role whatsoever in the matter.

“The Central government has nothing to do with where a State wants to have its capital or where it wants to shift. So, there is no role of Central government now and there will be no role in the future also. What we are concerned about are the problems being faced by the farmers. The farmers must get justice. The capital is a State government’s issue. If they (State government) go wrong, they will face the music,” he remarked. 

It may be recalled that a few other BJP leaders like YS Chowdary (Sujana Chowdary) have time and again claimed that the Centre would intervene at the ‘right’ time and that Amaravati would remain the capital. The central leadership has also distanced itself from these statements, noting that they were the MP’s personal remarks.

‘Vizag’s brand image damaged’
In a letter sent to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, BJP State chief Kanna Lakshminarayana demanded that a robust regulatory mechanism and vigilant police system be set up in Vizag, alleging that the city’s brand image was damaged due to industrial accidents. He said, “Due to the irresponsible government departments, confused state government and lawless leaders, the brand image of the most happening city in AP is damaged.”