YSR Congress Party’s Persistent Push for Vizag as Capital Despite Electoral Setbacks
The controversial shift in Andhra Pradesh’s capital strategy under Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government remains a contentious issue in state politics. Since coming to power in 2019, Reddy’s administration introduced a much-debated three-capital formula, aiming to decentralize governance by designating Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, while continuing to operate from Amaravati.
The move to transition administrative functions to Visakhapatnam faced strong resistance from the public and various stakeholders. The courts intervened, blocking the implementation of this plan, and the proposed capital shift was met with significant opposition across the state. This backlash had severe repercussions for the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which experienced a notable electoral setback in the Uttarandhra region, where Visakhapatnam is located.
Following a decisive defeat in the recent assembly elections, political analysts anticipated that the YSRCP would abandon its contentious capital relocation proposal. The central government’s commitment to developing Amaravati as the sole capital, coupled with the ambitious plans set forth by former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, seemed to put an end to Reddy’s controversial scheme.
However, recent statements by MLC Botsa Satyanarayana reveal that the YSRCP remains steadfast in its support for Visakhapatnam as the executive capital. Satyanarayana confirmed that despite the electoral debacle, the party’s leadership still favors the proposal, though he noted that a review of the capital decision is forthcoming.
This persistence in the face of electoral defeat suggests that the YSR Congress Party has yet to fully acknowledge or address the negative impact of its capital strategy on its political fortunes. The party’s adherence to its three-capital plan continues to provoke debate and speculation about the future of Andhra Pradesh’s administrative structure.
