Published Jan 26, 2026 | 2:33 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 26, 2026 | 2:33 PM
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu unveiled a strategy aimed at securing Amaravati as the state’s capital, galvanising the TDP’s parliamentary contingent to secure enhanced Central funds, and forcefully articulating the state’s irrigation and infrastructure priorities. Naidu made it clear that his foremost priority is to secure the passage of a Bill in Parliament granting legal sanctity to Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh’s sole capital.
In a carefully crafted move to advance his ambitious development agenda for Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu unveiled a strategy aimed at securing Amaravati as the state’s capital, galvanising the TDP’s parliamentary contingent to secure enhanced Central funds, and forcefully articulating the state’s irrigation and infrastructure priorities.
Addressing a TDP parliamentary meeting on Sunday, 25 January, at his Undavalli residence near Vijayawada, Naidu laid out these objectives ahead of the Union Budget Session scheduled to commence on 28 January.
The timing is significant, as Andhra Pradesh continues to grapple with the lingering wounds of the 2014 bifurcation, stark regional economic disparities and the lack of irrigation facilities, particularly in the drought-prone Rayalaseema region.
Naidu made it clear that his foremost priority is to secure the passage of a Bill in Parliament granting legal sanctity to Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh’s sole capital. He said the Bill is expected to come up during the forthcoming Budget Session, bringing closure to nearly a decade of uncertainty and flux over the capital’s status.
The proposed legislation is not merely symbolic but is intended to serve as a legal bulwark against abrupt policy reversals by future governments.
This concern is rooted in the experience of the previous YSRCP regime under YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, whose controversial “three-capitals” proposal sought to split the capital into three at Visakhapatnam, Kurnool and Amaravati. The move had stalled investments and triggered widespread unrest, particularly among farmers who had pooled more than 33,000 acres of fertile land for the development of Amaravati during Naidu’s earlier tenure as the chief minister between 2014 and 2019.
By embedding Amaravati’s status in the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act, 2014, Naidu hopes to safeguard massive public investments — estimated at over ₹50,000 crore — in roads, buildings and other core infrastructure.
The apprehension within TDP ranks is palpable: Any future attempt to relocate the capital could erode investor confidence, trigger capital flight and alienate the agrarian community that made significant sacrifices under the land-pooling scheme.
The land-pooling initiative, a hallmark of Naidu’s previous term, brought together land from 29 villages, with farmers promised developed plots and annual annuities in return. Naidu indicated that there is renewed momentum in Amaravati’s construction activity, noting that preparatory work for the second phase is already underway.
This includes the revival of stalled projects such as the Assembly building and the high court, with the prospect of attracting international funding from agencies like the World Bank, which had earlier committed loans but withdrew amid policy uncertainty.
The passage of the Bill would restore administrative stability, encourage civil servants to relocate permanently to Amaravati and provide a fillip to the region’s real estate sector.
It would also reinforce his image as a champion of Andhra Pradesh’s aspirations, countering opposition narratives that accuse successive governments of neglecting the State’s interests in the post-bifurcation era.
Beyond the capital issue, Naidu issued clear directives to TDP MPs to vigorously project Andhra Pradesh’s irrigation strategy in Parliament. A key focus is harnessing surplus Godavari floodwaters that currently flow underutilised into the Bay of Bengal.
He reiterated his long-standing advocacy of diverting these waters to quench the thirst of drought-hit Rayalaseema, urging MPs to frame the issue as a matter of national water security rather than an interstate dispute.
A major flashpoint in this context is the proposed Nallamala Sagar project, designed to divert Godavari waters to parched regions of the state. Striking a conciliatory tone, Naidu pointed out that Andhra Pradesh had never objected to Telangana’s Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme or to diversions of Manjira waters, despite sharing river basins. He termed Telangana’s objections to Nallamala Sagar as “unjustified” and asked MPs to firmly assert Andhra Pradesh’s rights while avoiding any escalation of tensions.
Naidu is apparently trying to leverage the TDP’s strength in Parliament — 16 Lok Sabha members and two Rajya Sabha MPs — during the extended Budget Session from 28 January to 2 April.
He instructed them to remain constantly alert and actively track parliamentary proceedings to press for enhanced allocations to flagship projects such as Polavaram, Purvodaya, Sagarmala and national highways.
Polavaram, the multi-purpose irrigation project, tops the list of priorities. Naidu said revised cost estimates have already been submitted to the Union government, with around ₹12,000 crore still pending. Completing the project by June 2027, ahead of the Godavari Pushkarams, carries both cultural and electoral significance, as it promises irrigation benefits to nearly seven lakh acres and adds power generation capacity.
He also flagged the Purvodaya initiative for the development of North Andhra and Rayalaseema, envisaging infrastructure investments to the tune of ₹40,000 crore.
Another major proposal highlighted was a four-lane railway corridor from Ichchapuram to Tada, aimed at tapping the Railways’ comparatively robust funding pipeline.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
