Annamayya District Split Evokes Mixed Response
It had hurt not only the people of Rayachoti but also devotees of saint Annamayya, who hailed from Tallapaka in the Rajampet region: G. Srikanth Reddy
ANANTAPUR: The splitting of Annamayya district has evoked mixed reactions from political groups and organisations across the affected Assembly segments and mandals. The three-and-a-half-year-old Rayachoti district headquarters became history on Wednesday with the shifting of the headquarters to Madanapalle. The collectorate, SP office and other district offices in Rayachoti are to be vacated and relocated to the newly designated district headquarters at Madanapalle.
Protests continued in Rayachoti against the decision to shift the district headquarters. YSRC secretary and Rayachoti in-charge G. Srikanth Reddy, along with party cadres and Joint Action Committee members, staged a protest demanding that the government withdraw the decision. Srikanth Reddy said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had assured during the election campaign at Rayachoti that the headquarters would not be shifted.
Terming the decision “unscientific”, he said it had hurt not only the people of Rayachoti but also devotees of saint Annamayya, who hailed from Tallapaka in the Rajampet region. He warned that the agitation would intensify if the government failed to consider public opinion.
Meanwhile, a video of Transport minister and MLA Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy went viral on social media. In the video, recorded earlier, the minister was seen challenging political rivals by stating that he would shave his moustache and quit his post if Rayachoti was removed as the district headquarters. The YSRC targeted the minister, demanding that he honour his statement.
In contrast, people in Railway Kodur welcomed the merger of the Assembly segment with Tirupati district. Celebrations were also reported in Rajampet and Kadapa following the inclusion of Rajampet in Kadapa district. In addition, the historic mandals of Vontimitta, Siddavatam and Rajampet were merged with Kadapa district.
A large number of TD leaders and cadres from the three mandals felicitated TD politburo member R. Srinivasulu Reddy at his camp office in Kadapa on Wednesday, welcoming the government’s decision, citing improved administrative access to Kadapa.