Minister seeks North Andhra leaders' support

Visakhapatnam: The leaders of North Andhra region should brush their personal agendas aside and extend support to the decentralisation move of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for the comprehensive development of the State, said IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath.

Releasing the poster of 'Visakha Garjana' rally scheduled on October 15 in support of the three capitals under the aegis of the non-political JAC here on Wednesday, the Minister said the Chief Minister had taken a decision to set up three capitals in the State in 2019. He expressed concern that the Opposition was creating hurdles to its implementation.

Amaranth opposed the Maha Padayatra initiated by Amaravati farmers which he termed as a 'Dandayatra' on North Andhra to block its development. He appealed to the denizens to extend their support to Visakhapatnam becoming the executive capital. The Minister said that the time has come to fight together for the future of the region.

Further, the IT Minister informed that students, advocates, doctors, industrialists and farmers were coming forward to support the JAC movement.

Former Minister and YSRCP district president M Srinivasa Rao said the 'Visakha Garjana' is a united struggle to protect the self-respect of the people of North Andhra. He said the leaders from various parties were spreading false information that the YSRCP was fighting for political gain, which was not true. He criticised the opposition parties for blocking the development of the region.

JAC chairman Lajpat Rai said the movement was getting good response from all sectors of North Andhra region. In support of the movement, relay hunger strikes would be organised at village and mandal levels.

Later, speaking to the media, Amarnath expressed concern over North Andhra not witnessing any progress during Chandrababu Naidu's 14-year-long stint as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. "It is unfortunate that the TDP is questioning the YSRCP's three-year-long rule," the Minister stated. People lost their faith in the TDP as it continues to block the development of the State, he said.

Anakapalli MP BV Satyavathi, MLC Varudhu Kalyani, Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari, MLA Vasuapalli Ganesh Kumar, NREDCAP chairman KK Raju, West constituency in-charge Adari Anand Kumar, among others took part in the poster launch.