Tirupati to become Sri Balaji district

AMARAVATI: The globally famed temple town Tirupati is becoming a new district by donning Lord Sri Balaji’s name. A new district to be carved out with Tirupati Loksabha constituency has been proposed to be named as Sri Balaji district. The devotees of Lord Sri Venkateswara from across the globe are overwhelmed with the proposal and pouring in praises for the government in the social media.The release of draft notification proposing names for few other districts has also gone down well with the locals.
In a significant political move, YSRCP government decided to name the Vijayawada district after the founding president of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former chief minister N T R. Although, TDP headed by Chandrababu Naidu was in power for almost 14 years after dethroning NTR from the power in 1996, could not make such an attempt to name a district after the legendary actor and party founder. Naidu served as chief minister for two terms (over nine year) for undivided AP and another term post reorganization between 2014-19. Interestingly, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy promised to name a district after NTR during the last election campaign and stuck to his promise. “This is what the difference between chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu. While Jagan is a man of deeds, Naidu had always tried to deceive people,” said civil supplies minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani).
However, the birth place of NTR-Nimmakuru in Krishna district is now part of Pamarru assembly constituency and went into the newly proposed Krishna district by retaining Machilipatnam as district headquarters. Sources said that the state government has decided to name Vijayawada district after NTR in order to protect the historical significance of Krishna district named after River Krishna and also port town of Machilipatnam.
Saint, legendary musician and poet Annamayya’s name has been proposed for the newly coming up Rajampet district. Tallapaka Annamacharya (Annamayya) is born in Kadapa district and scripted and composed hundreds of Keerthanas praising Lord Sri Venkateswara and Lord Vishnu. Curiously, Rajampet district had lost both the name and the district headquarter status. Rayachoti town is going to be headquarter of the new district headquarter for Annamayya district covering Rajampet Loksabha constituency.
Araku Loksabha constituency will be named after revolutionary freedom fighter Alluri Sitaramaraju. The existing revenue division headquarter Paderu will be the district headquarters. Similarly, another district being carved out from Araku Loksabha constituency will have Parvathipuram as the district headquarter and called as Manyam district.
Amalapuram district will be named as Konaseema district. This region is known as Konaseema and the district name has gone down well with the locals. Similarly, the state government has decided to name Narasaraopet district as Palnadu which is a brand name of the region.
Dalit organisations have however, demanded to name at least two new districts after the renowned dalit personalities. Former minister and YSRCP MLC Dokka Manikyavaraprasad wanted Palnadu district be named as legendary Dalit poet Gurram Jhashuva while a few leaders from Kurnool district wanted to name the district after the first dalit chief minister of the country, Damodaram Sanjeevaiah. He became CM of AP at the age of just 39 and served for two years between 1960-62.