A Law Passed in Delhi, a Wound Still Open in the Villages
The city of Amaravati is still a big topic of discussion in Andhra Pradesh. People thought that the issue of Amaravati being the capital city would be resolved on April 7, 2026. That is when the government officially said that Amaravati is the capital of Andhra Pradesh. The President of India Droupadi Murmu agreed to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Amendment Bill, 2026. This bill made it clear that Amaravati is the capital of Andhra Pradesh. On paper it seemed like the end of an argument. In reality, it may have just moved the fight to another area. The elections, in 2029.
The law passed quickly. Many parties supported it. The Lok Sabha passed the bill on April 1 2026. The Congress party supported the bill. The YSR Congress Party did not support it. The Rajya Sabha also passed the bill that day. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was very happy. He said it was a dream come true for the people of Andhra Pradesh. His son, Nara Lokesh also welcomed the move. The Andhra Pradesh BJP president, PVN Madhav said it showed that the NDA government is united.
However, the idea of having three capital cities still exists. During his time as Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy proposed a plan to have three capital cities. He wanted Visakhapatnam to be the capital of Amaravati to be the legislative capital and Kurnool to be the judicial capital. This plan was not a political move. It was based on the idea that having all the power in one city would not be good for the rest of the state. The northern part of the state around Visakhapatnam and the Rayalaseema region around Kurnool would not get investment and attention.
YSRCP MP P V Midhun Reddy made this point during a debate in the Lok Sabha. He asked where the money to build a capital city would come from. He also pointed out that the farmers who gave up their land for the city have not been taken care of. He said that many countries have capital cities and it works well for them. Andhra Pradesh is a case as it was divided into two parts just over a decade ago. The state still has regional imbalances, so a decentralized model makes sense.
The Farmers Who Lost Everything and Got Promises
The biggest problem in this whole situation is what happens to the farmers who gave up their land to build Amaravati. The government took thirty-four thousand acres of land from these farmers and promised them a lot in return. They said the farmers would get plots of land that were ready to build a place to live and free education for their kids. Years have gone by, and the farmers have not gotten what they were promised. They do not know when they will get the land and the money they were supposed to get.
Congress member Manickam Tagore said Amaravati should grow like cities in India. He also thinks Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Kurnool should get some attention. He does not want these cities to be forgotten. This shows there is still a debate about focusing on Amaravati.
Why 2029 Will Bring This Problem Again
People who follow Andhra Pradesh politics think this problem will not go away. When it’s time to vote again in 2029 politicians will talk about Amaravati. TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu says he will finish building Amaravati as planned. He will say he kept his promise. The YSRCP party will say he is wasting money and only helping some people. They will say they have a plan to help all the people in the state, not those in Amaravati. There are still questions about how the government will pay for this. Building a city like Amaravati costs a lot. The government has not said where they will get the money. If they run out of money or take time to build, farmers will still be waiting for what they were promised. This will be a problem for politicians in 2029.
A Big Win That Might Be a Political Problem
What Chandrababu Naidu and the NDA cheered as a victory in April 2026 might look like a risky move by 2029. By making sure there won’t be a plan for the capital Naidu has made things clear but also limited options. If Amaravati’s growth slows down or doesn’t help farmers and the rest of Andhra Pradesh, there won’t be a plan to talk about growing other areas too. The TDP government has put its reputation on the line for Amaravati to become a capital city. Whether Andhra Pradesh voters will support this move. Not will depend more on what happens on the ground like construction, buildings and helping farmers than on discussions in Delhi and this will be clear, by 2029.
