On April 30, 2025, YS Sharmila, the President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), found herself at the center of a political storm as she accused the state government, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, of placing her under house arrest. The incident unfolded in Kesarapalli, located on the outskirts of Vijayawada, where police were deployed outside her residence to prevent her from visiting Uddandarayunipalem village. This village is significant as it is the site where Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Amaravati capital in 2015.
Sharmila took to social media to express her frustration, questioning the legality of her confinement. "Why are you stopping me with your police when I am going to the party office to ask for the procedures for our capital?" she asked, tagging Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and the Andhra Pradesh Police. She further demanded, "Why did you put me under house arrest and prevent me from coming out? Why are you trying to violate my constitutional rights?"
The backdrop of this incident is the ongoing debate surrounding the status of Amaravati as the state's capital. Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the previous government, led by Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP), had proposed Amaravati as the new capital. However, after Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) President Jagan Mohan Reddy assumed office in 2019, the capital development works were suspended.
In 2020, the Andhra Pradesh government introduced the Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, which aimed to establish an executive capital in Visakhapatnam, a legislative capital in Amaravati, and a judicial capital in Kurnool. However, this bill faced significant backlash and was eventually withdrawn in 2021 after farmers from Amaravati, who had contributed over 30,000 acres of land for the capital, filed petitions against it in the Andhra Pradesh High Court. To date, over 55 public interest litigations challenging the three-capital proposal have been filed.
In a 2022 ruling, the High Court directed the state government to develop Amaravati and its surrounding areas as the capital region within six months, under the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act of 2014 and the Land Pooling Rules of 2015. Sharmila's recent actions come in light of these ongoing legal and political challenges regarding the capital's future.
As tensions escalated on the day of her house arrest, Sharmila highlighted the significance of her planned visit to Uddandarayunipalem. "The coalition government is scared even before the party announced its plan of action," she stated, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability from the government. She also criticized the BJP, which is part of the ruling coalition in Andhra Pradesh, for its perceived monopoly on power despite being a minor partner.
Sharmila's remarks were not limited to the government’s actions; she also condemned regional parties for their silence regarding the unfulfilled promises related to Amaravati's development. Recalling Modi's visit in 2015, she pointed out that he had promised to create a world-class capital for the state, a promise she claims remains unfulfilled. "In the past 10 years, nothing was done — except for temporary buildings and failed promises. Modi gave us mud, and now he returns to throw lime on our faces," she asserted, referencing the Prime Minister's upcoming visit to Amaravati on May 2, 2025.
The atmosphere around Andhra Ratna Bhavan, where Sharmila's party is headquartered, became increasingly tense as protests erupted, leading to an alleged attack by BJP workers who reportedly pelted eggs and tomatoes at the premises. Sharmila responded to the violence by demanding immediate arrests of those responsible for the attack and raised concerns about police collusion, questioning how the attackers could enter the party office without police involvement. She insisted on justice for the Congress workers and called for ‘attempt-to-murder’ charges against the assailants.
In her statements, Sharmila emphasized the need for a safe environment for political discourse and activism in the state. "How can we hold meetings and discuss people’s issues in Andhra Pradesh if we are being suppressed like this?" she asked, highlighting the democratic rights of her party. She also pointed out that Andhra Pradesh ranks third in the country for atrocities against women, urging the police to protect citizens rather than suppress their rights.
As the political landscape in Andhra Pradesh continues to evolve, the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi looms large. His appearance is expected to reignite discussions about the future of Amaravati, and Sharmila's actions have already set the stage for a contentious political battle. The Congress party's Amaravati Capital Committee, which was announced just two days before her house arrest, aims to address the pressing issues surrounding the capital's development and advocate for the rights of the people affected by the ongoing turmoil.
With the stakes high and the political climate charged, Sharmila's house arrest has not only spotlighted the tensions between the Congress party and the ruling coalition but has also raised questions about the future of governance and accountability in Andhra Pradesh. As the situation unfolds, many are watching closely to see how this political drama will impact the lives of the citizens and the trajectory of the state's capital.
