HYDERABAD: The Central government has given a great relief to Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s government of Andhra Pradesh by stating that choosing a capital city is the prerogative of the state government and the Centre has no role to play. It’s a big slap on the Opposition of Andhra Pradesh when it has been fighting for one and only capital for Andhra Pradesh as the government is moving ahead with trifurcation plan. The Union home ministry declared once again that it has no role whatsoever to play in deciding the location of the capital of Andhra Pradesh and it is entirely decided by the state. An affidavit to this extent was submitted by Lalitha T. Hedaoo, under secretary in the Union ministry of home affairs in the Andhra Pradesh state high court. The Ministry of Home Affairs also acknowledged that the present state government had issued gazette notifications on July 31 forming three capitals — executive capital at Viskahapatnam, legislative capital at Amaravati and judicial capital in Kurnool. The Centre has also acknowledged that the state legislature had passed the three capitals bill as well as the APCRDA repeal bill which became Acts later. “The subject matter purely concerns the state government and the Central government has no role in it. For the above mentioned facts and circumstances, the court may be pleased to pass such orders as deemed fit and proper in the interest of the justice,” Lalitha Hedaoo said in the affidavit submitted in the court. This affidavit can be applicable to other states also since there is demand for another capital for Tamil Nadu. Some politicians demand second capital in Madhurai for this southern state.
