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Chandrababu Naidu’s wife backs Amaravati farmers against shifting capital
Nara Bhuvaneshwari, daughter of legendary actor and TDP founder N T Rama Rao, generally keeps away from politics but on Wednesday she attended the dharna of Amaravati farmers for the first time.
Nara Bhuvaneshwari, wife of Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday waded into the tussle over the state’s capital as she donated her gold bangles to fund the ongoing agitation by farmers of Amaravati against shifting the administrative capital to Visakhapatnam.
Bhuvaneshwari, daughter of legendary actor and TDP founder N T Rama Rao and presently vice-chairman and managing director of Heritage Foods Ltd, generally keeps away from politics.
For the first time, she attended the dharna of Amaravati farmers at Errabalem village along with her husband to extend her solidarity and was moved by the agony of the farmers, especially the women’s. She instantly took out her bangles and gave them to the protestors stating that it was her contribution to the agitation.
“I understand the feelings of women here who are terribly hurt by the decision of the state government to shift the capital. I am aware of the sacrifices you have made by giving away your cultivable lands for the capital, hoping for a great future. Our family is with you in your fight against shifting the capital out of this place”.
She appealed to the farmers to raise money by selling the bangles through public auction and use the same to sustain the agitation for retention of capital city at Amaravati.
As the farmers’ agitation in all the 29 villages under Amaravati capital region entered 15th day on Wednesday, donations have been pouring in from different parts of the state and abroad to sustain the movement.
Bhuvaneshwari said Chandrababu Naidu had toiled day and night to construct the capital city at Amaravati. “Family is the second priority for Naidu as he always strived for farmers’ welfare. In the process, he ignored even our family members,” she said.
She said building a world class capital city at Amaravati and completing Polavaram project were his dreams. “He will never disappoint you,” she said.
Addressing the gathering, Naidu found fault with farmers for defeating the TDP in the last elections and voting for the YSRC, for which they were now paying heavy penalty.
“Ignoring my warning, you all voted Jagan to power. You have kept an oven on your head. You can neither keep it down, nor bear it for long. I told you not to touch a live wire. But you did it and are now feeling the shock,” Naidu said.
Last month, chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said that his government was considering creation of three capital cities – a legislative capital, an executive capital and a judicial capital as he advocated decentralised development of the state.
He had made his intentions clear that he was not in favour of building Amravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh and that it would not be his priority.
