Chandrababu Naidu’s rant against invisible enemy

The capital has also got bogged down in environmental issues as the campaigners claiming to be green activists moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The online tirade unleashed by capital opponents spoils the pro-investor environment Naidu is boasting of building, day in and day

AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is seemingly engaged in a war against his invisible enemy. Naidu vowed to take to task an `incognito’ group working against his dream capital a few days ago. A group of people complained to the World Bank in October 2016, seeking to stall its aid for the capital project in Amaravati.

According to information, the inspection panel of the World Bank received a signed petition in which the petitioners urged it to keep the identity of signatories confidential.

However, the World Bank registered the petition in June this year with a rider, “Mere registration of the petition cannot carry any judgment on the merits of the very petition.” The issues raised in the petition included the viability of the World Bank aid which allegedly comes under question in view of the capital proposed in the floodplains of Amaravati, mobilisation of land by `force’ with an adverse bearing on the socio-economic impact of the project, among others.

The petition naturally annoyed Naidu who has been literally groping for funds to realise his dream capital before the 2019 elections. The AP government secured no objection certificate from the NDA government for raising 6,600 crore from the World Bank. But the Naidu government secured an in-principle approval from the World Bank for Rs 3,500 crore only.

Uncertainty prevails over translating the World Bank’s promise into action even after following the due procedures involving public hearing and the studies on environment impact assessment and socio-economic impact assessment.

Chandrababu misses no opportunity to demonstrate his resolve to see “an opportunity in every difficulty.” His oft-repeated phrase is put to test by his anti-capital rivals.

The rival group allegedly chooses internet as a medium to depict the Naidu government in bad light. A band of unidentified persons petitioned the local authorities in the US by mail seeking action against Naidu during his visit for allegedly cheating the overseas investors with his `false talk’ over the investment opportunities.

Around the same time, he and his son Nara Lokesh were portrayed in a demeaning manner with a picture of Assembly in the background in a social media post.

Naidu’s tough talk came close on the heels of investigation agencies identifying the covert anti-capital campaigners. The arrest of a blogger Inturi Ravi Kiran is a pointer in this direction.

The capital has got bogged down in environmental issues as the campaigners claiming to be green activists moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The online tirade unleashed by capital opponents spoils the pro-investor environment Naidu is boasting of building, day in and day.

Ultimately, the government’s image has taken a beating, making it difficult for Chief Minister to pool up the wherewithal to build a `world-class capital’ before the D-Day – 2019 elections.

The AP government has requested the NDA government to extend a financial assistance of Rs 4,000 crore on early basis for building administrative capital until its promise regarding capital assistance is fulfilled.

But the assistance which trickled in from the Centre did not cross even Rs 2,000 crore in the last three years even as the capital cost was projected at Rs 40,000-odd crore. This meagre Central assistance forces Naidu to approach aid agencies within and outside the country.

In the process, Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) promised Rs 7,000 crore. Besides, he is also knocking on the other doors also.

The fund constraints apart, issues involved in the capital designs slowed down the project. The government entrusted the Maki and Associates, a Japanese architectural firm, to prepare the capital’s concept design.

Later, its designs were scrapped and Foster Plus Partners of the UK was roped in for the same job. The government seemingly failed to inch ahead of the designs since Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid a foundation stone for the capital project at Uddandarayapalem two years ago.

The hiccups bring to the fore the question whether the dream capital will become a reality by 2019 elections. TDP MP JC Diwakar Reddy at a rally attended by the CM in his native Anantapur recently stated, “It is unlikely that the capital is built before the elections and it will never come up if Naidu’s hands are not strengthened in the next elections.” It just sums up the government’s mood.

Chandrababu squarely blames the opposition YSRC for the capital project moving at a snail’s pace. He accused Leader of Opposition Jaganmohan Reddy of having deployed his party men for guerrilla warfare against the capital to bask in his government’s failures. Jagan, however, is cautious without indulging in any open criticism on the sensitive capital issue.