Permanent capital for Seemandhra a poll issue

Interestingly, candidates cutting across party lines are divided over the location of the capital city and the demand ranges from Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Ongole and Guntur in coastal Andhra to Kurnool of Rayalaseema region.

Speaking to PTI, Congress leader and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Kishore Chandra Deo stressed on the need to make Visakhapatnam the capital of Seemandhra.

"Making Visakhapatnam the state's new capital would spur development in six districts surrounding the coastal city," says Deo, who has been re-nominated from Araku (ST) constituency situated near Visakhapatnam.

Asked about apprehensions among residents in the south of Seemandhra that Visakhapatnam was not centrally located, Deo underscores that capital cities are not chosen depending on such parameters.

"Take for instance the capitals of three southern states. Bangalore, Chennai or Thiruvananthapuram are not situated in the central part of their respective states. Even our national capital Delhi is not located in the centre of India," he reasons.

But his cabinet colleague from Kurnool constituency, Kotla Jaya Surya Prakash Reddy begs to differ. He demands capital status for Kurnool, saying the city had the privilege of functioning as the Andhra Pradesh capital for three years in the past.

"Kurnool has plenty of water and other infrastructure required for a capital," the Minister of State for Railways pointed out.