Amravati versus Mavigun: CM Naidu, Jagan Reddy trade barbs over new Andhra capital
A sharp exchange has erupted between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy over the state’s capital
A sharp exchange has erupted between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy over the state’s capital development model, with both leaders trading allegations over Amaravati and the proposed “Mavigun” corridor. The dispute intensified after Reddy reiterated support for “Mavigun”, a proposed 110-km coastal urban development corridor linking Machilipatnam, Vijayawada and Guntur, and accused the government of corruption in the Amaravati capital project. He said the YSRCP would project Mavigun as a key electoral plank in the upcoming polls. Read Full Story “We are totally against the rampant corruption going on in the name of Amaravati. Mavigun is the fitting reply to it. It has natural advantages and ready-made infrastructure,” Reddy told reporters on Wednesday. Chief Minister Naidu hit back, accusing Reddy of repeatedly shifting his stand on the capital issue and undermining development efforts in the state. “We faced humiliation for not having a capital for so long. Earlier they spoke about three capitals, and now suddenly they are talking about Mavigun,” Naidu said, alleging that the Reddy-led party does not want a capital city, he alleged.
NAIDU VS REDDY OVER CAPITAL He further alleged that Reddy had earlier expressed support for Amaravati in the Assembly in Hyderabad, after which thousands of farmers voluntarily gave land under the land pooling scheme. Naidu claimed that the capital project later faced political obstruction and disruptions after a change in government, including attempts to derail construction activity. “They conspired to stop it. When construction started, they tried to block it and later blamed the government for everything,” Naidu alleged. Referring to past developments, Naidu accused Reddy of frequently changing his position on the capital issue, from Amaravati to the earlier three-capitals proposal and now to “Mavigun”. “In 2019, after we lost power, he changed his word. First it was Amaravati, then three capitals, and now Mavigun. He played a different game every time,” Naidu said. He also questioned the feasibility of the new proposal, saying he was unclear about its concept. “I myself do not understand what Mavigun means,” he said.
Taking a dig at the former CM, Naidu added that consistency in political positions was important. “If a person is known, they are known for their word. People must decide who lacks stability,” he said. ANDHRA PRADESH'S CAPITAL CONUNDRUM Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the state and Telangana shared Hyderabad as a joint capital during a transitional arrangement. The TDP-led government later identified Amaravati as the proposed sole capital and acquired around 33,000 acres of land through a land pooling system involving farmers. However, after the YSRCP came to power in 2019, the government proposed a “three-capitals” model, halting Amaravati’s development. The plan envisaged Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, Amaravati as the legislative capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital. The proposal triggered strong opposition from farmers and stakeholders, leading to prolonged legal challenges in the High Court and Supreme Court. In 2022, the Andhra Pradesh High Court held that the state legislature does not have the power to unilaterally reorganise the capital.
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