The districts of Kadapa and Kurnool observed bandh on Thursday over AP Government’s likely decision to set up capital between Vijayawada and Guntur. Amid reports that CM Chandra Babu Naidu going to announce Vijayawada as capital city, few student organizations have called for bandh in the two districts. With this commuters faced troubles. Bandh was said to be peaceful and partial.
Especially, the impact of bandh in Kurnool was high as all educational institutions remained shutdown in response to the Bandh call. Even shopkeepers expressed their solidarity and closed their shops.
Adding fuel to it, Rayalaseema Rajadhani Sadhana Samithi demanded that the capital be set up in Kurnool and that the Sribagh Pact, a private agreement by then leaders of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, should be honoured. The pact stipulated that Kurnool should be made the capital of Andhra state after bifurcation from the erstwhile Madras presidency.
On flip side, advocates from Anantapur demanded that the new high court should be located in their district. Political analysts predict more repercussions once AP Capital is officially announced. It’s certainly not a cakewalk for Mr Naidu.