YSRCP MP seeks to breakthe ice with Amaravati ryots

‘Govt. ready to talk;’ his ‘silence’ on the key demand draws flak

Narsaraopet MP Lavu Krishnadevarayulu on Friday visited the landowners who have been agitating for the last 45 days against the State government's decision to shift the Executive capital out of Amaravati to Visakhapatnam. The YSRCP MP’s visit has created a buzz as it is the fist by any elected representative of the ruling party.

The visit also raised interest as it comes a day after the young MP along with former Supreme Court Judge Justice Jasti Chalameswar and AP Official Language Commission Chairman Yarlagadda Lakhmi Prasad meeting Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy at the latter’s residence. Tension has been building up in a cluster of villages in the region with the TDP, the BJP and the Jana Sena Party throwing their weight behind the agitating landowners.

The MP told The Hindu that he had visited the region to assuage the feelings of farmers who had parted with land for the construction of the capital city.

“I told those who have been undertaking fast that the government is willing to talk to them. I also sought to convey the message that the government is not against the development of Amaravati.” The landowners were urged not to spoil their health by thinking about these issues throughout the day, he added.

A section of farmers, however, questioned the purpose behind the visit. They pointed out that the MP did not make any attempt to allay their fears over the shifting of the capital to Vizag.

It was unfortunate that the government too had not made any concrete assurance in this regard, they added.