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For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong said American author H.L.Mencken, which is the case with the status quo created around Annamayya District Headquarters in Andhra Pradesh. The government’s decision to retain Rayachoti as the headquarters of Annamayya district, even after carving out the new Madanapalle district, has once again stirred anger and dissatisfaction. People of the Rajampeta and Kodur constituencies feel deceived and sidelined. Policies related to public administration like the reorganisation of districts, can have long-term impacts and should be implemented scientifically, not for political interest. Despite the Annamaya Joint Action Committee is on a relay hunger strike for 18 days, there has been no consideration from the government.
Ever since YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, then Opposition leader of Andhra Pradesh, made pre-poll promise to create every parliamentary constituency as a district, increasing from 13 to 25 districts, has ushered hopes among the people of Rajampet. Parliamentary Constituency of Rajampet consists of seven Assembly segments: Rajampet, Kodur, and Rayachoti from the erstwhile YSR Kadapa district, and Madanapalle, Pileru, Punganur, and Thamballapalle from the erstwhile Chittoor district.
Historically, there has been a long-standing demand from people of both Mandanpalli & Rajampeta respective constituencies to be a district due to their prominence since British era, respective sub-collectorate offices have been operating for a hundred years now. Creating a single district out of this region was inherently difficult because both Rajampet and Madanapalle are the largest revenue divisions geographically spread across two districts and two forest divisions . People from Rajampeta have to pass through forest ghats, making it nearly impossible to pick an ideal district headquarters.
In 2022, the YSRCP government issued a gazette notification choosing Rayachoti as the district headquarters of the newly carved Annamayya district, on the basis of administrative convenience because of its geographical location being between both Rajampeta and Madanapalle. This indeed received severe backlash from people of both constituencies and Kodur constituency as well. Medical College was announced in Madanpalle to pacify the people. A resolution was passed in the Rajampet Municipality on January 29th 2022, against the proposal of Rayachoti being the headquarters.
But during 2024 polls, then opposition leader Chandra Babu Naidu promised to make Rajampeta as Head Quarters which ushered fresh hopes again. According to reports Cabinet Sub-Committee on district reorganisation under the present TDP government has rightly recommended creating Madanapalle district and shifting the Annamayya district headquarters to Rajampeta and redraw revenue divisions. Yet the final decision retains Rayachoti as the headquarters, which is illogical and not scientific. If the core purpose of forming smaller districts is to ensure efficient administration, then choosing Rayachoti, located at one far end, defeats that purpose and is unjustifiable to both Rajampeta and Kodur constituencies.
Rajampeta has access to National Highways, Railway line and proximity to both Tirupati and Kdapa Airports has fair chance to grow with the status of Headquarters. Rajampeta already has a Sub-Collectorate office with 15 acres of land, centrally located and functioning for over a century. Moreover, Tallapaka the birthplace of Annamayya and Vontimitta Kodandarama Temple, the state venue for Sri Rama Navami celebrations, both fall under Rajampeta, highlighting the cultural significance.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.