Capital clout

INDIA’S 29th state was recently formed. But let’s go back a bit in time. The local workers of Telangana and the leadership of the Save Andhra movement were busy demonstrating for their political goals. Meanwhile, some of the top political leaders were working on the map of the new capital of divided Andhra Pradesh. The Congress leadership was more than aware that wherever the new capital of Seemandhra would be set up, a jewel box would open up for builders, politicians and bureaucrats alike. Let’s go back a bit further in time. There were very few politicians within the Congress Party who were aware from the beginning that Telangana is going to be reality at the end of the 15th Lok Sabha. They sensed an opportunity of a lifetime. gfiles readers will be surprised to know that the land between Vijayawada and Guntur has been purchased by those very leaders who were part of the Andhra Pradesh restructuring team, at really cheap rates. Coming back to the present: We learn that news has spread that the new capital will be between Vijayawada and Guntur. The price of land has sky rocketed. Who says, there’s no opportunity in adversity. Ask the top Congress leaders—they know better than anybody else.