Vijayawada: With less than a week to go for the foundation stone laying ceremony of Andhra Pradesh's capital city Amaravati, the state government is making elaborate arrangements for the event, including sending out invitations to prominent personalities.
Ministers of Andhra Pradesh personally invited actor-turned-politician Pavan Kalyan and also leaders of neighbouring Telangana in Hyderabad today.
State Panchayat Raj Minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu and Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas met Kalyan, a top-ranking hero whose campaign helped TDP-BJP combine in last year's elections, to invite him.
Noting that he would be going to Gujarat for a film shoot, Kalyan told reporters that his attendance in the function would depend on his schedule.
Replying to a query, he wished that Amaravati should not become another Hyderabad, apparently referring to development being centralised in the city in undivided AP.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi would lay the foundation stone for the capital city on the auspicious day of Vijaya Dasami on October 22.
The AP ministers also invited Telangana leaders, Legislative Assembly Speaker S Madhusudanachary, Deputy Speaker Padma Devender Reddy, Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is expected to meet Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao tomorrow to extend the invitation. Naidu had earlier said he would invite Rao.
The ministers reportedly tried to meet Opposition leader in the state Y S Jaganmohan Reddy but could not do so. The YSRCP president had earlier said he need not be invited to the foundation event as the government has "snatched away" fertile lands from farmers to build the capital.
Other ministers Prathipati Pulla Rao, P Narayana have been personally inviting farmers, in the capital region villages, who have gave away their lands for capital city construction.
In a traditional welcome, the farmers are also given a 'dhoti' and a saree along with the invitation card. Meanwhile, elaborate arrangements are being made in a sprawling place in Guntur district for the event.
The state government has been conducting a programme of collecting soil and water after due worship from all villages in the state.
The programme, named 'Mana Matti, Mana Neeru, Mana Amaravati' (our soil, our water and our Amaravati), is aimed at promoting a sense of belongingness towards the capital city.
