Tadepalli, Nov 28: YSRCP party Mangalagiri constituency in-charge Donthireddy Vemareddy and Tadikonda in-charge Balavajrababu (Diamond Babu) strongly criticised the coalition government for driving Amaravati capital-region farmers into severe distress while pushing the state into unprecedented debt. Speaking at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, they said nearly 30,000 small and marginal farmers, 85% of whom own only 2–5 acres, trusted Chandrababu Naidu’s assurances and surrendered 32,000 acres for the capital. In return, they were promised developed returnable plots, infrastructure, livelihood support, and transparent development. A decade later, not a single assurance has materialised. Farmers still have no returnable plots, no valid documents, no access to bank loans, and no basic groundwork on their lands. Even those promised 20–30 cents per acre remain stuck in disputes, with CRDA and the government offering no answers.
Vemareddy said the coalition government has borrowed Rs. 2.50 lakh crore in just 18 months, yet not a rupee’s worth of development is visible in the capital region or anywhere in the state. He demanded that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu release a detailed white paper on how such massive borrowings were used. He added that farmers who sacrificed their lands have lost livelihoods, cannot fund their children’s education, cannot get bank loans without papers, and are surviving on empty assurances while the government hides behind friendly media narratives.
Diamond Babu accused Chandrababu of deceiving farmers twice, first in 2015 with false promises, and now again by planning another 40,000-acre land pooling despite failing to develop even an inch of the 32,000 acres already taken. He said Naidu refuses to give appointments to farmers, has abandoned those who trusted him, and is more focused on projecting his son Lokesh as political heir than resolving farmers’ issues. He pointed out that not even basic works like roads or drains have been completed, contractors remain unpaid, and Amaravati is being treated like a business venture rather than a capital city. He reminded that Naidu had earlier promised to involve the farmers’ JAC in every decision, but today, farmers are sidelined and betrayed.
Both leaders warned that if Chandrababu proceeds with fresh land pooling without fulfilling earlier commitments, YSRCP will launch a massive people’s movement. They said Amaravati farmers have realised the truth and are preparing to take to the streets, and that friendly media propaganda will no longer shield this deceptive government.
Capital farmers cheated by Chandrababu
