Social Media: ‘Visakhapatnam as capital’ buzz on FB

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Oct 19, 2013: As the Samaikyandhra stir fizzled out , after  the AP NGOs called off their stir, and one after the other the Congress elected representatives, toeing the line of the party high command on the  split,  race to  the capital has intensified and the voices demanding special packages for the region have become vociferous,  especially on social media. 

Vizag, Vijayawada-Guntur, Ongole and Tirupati are in the race for the capital.

Vizag youth seems to be leading by generating much needed buzz on the  social media sites like Facebook.

They have recently launched a campaign in all the Vizag-related groups on Facebook asking the locals to send emails en masse to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), under which the GoM looks into the aspects of   state  bifurcation works, demanding Vizag to be made capital of the residuary  state Andhra Pradesh.

To make things easier and get the feeling of   “Just a click away”,  moderators and administrators of these groups facilitated the enthusiastic Vizagites, with a cut and paste job. They have provided all the necessary material, information on the salient features of Vizag and also the qualities that makes the city an ideal capital.

Interestingly, they have chosen Dasara to begin the campaign. “Guys, it’s a great opportunity for us to make our voices heard.  Send emails with the contents below. Just copy and paste all the matter below and just send the email from your email address to  feedbacktogom-mha@nic.in.  This will reach the Group of ministers who  are looking into Seemandhra issues after bifurcation. !! Please cooperate now. Let’s make an effort and try to find success! Yo Vizag! There you go!!  Cheers guys!! Thanks for cooperation !”  This is what the administrator  of “Vizag capital for Seemandhra" group has said.

A similar campaign was launched on the other Vizag -related groups like  “Railway/Airway Injustice to Vizag”, which has 799 members and “We  want Visakhapatnam only under south central railways”, which has 1,546 members. “Vizag capital for Seemandhra” group has as many as 5,415 members.

Many issues, including, the city being in the one corner of the state, which is considered as a disadvantage for being capital is being discussed and debated on this page. “See Chennai, Trivandrum, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Bhubaneswar etc. where are they located in their states,” said Gangulu Vasipilli, a member of the group.

They have also vented our their anger to some reports that Union minister of state for commerce and industry, D Puarndeswari,  has allegedly started lobbying for Vijayawada to be made capital.

“What are we going to do if our own MP starts supporting another city  for the capital? How can we mitigate the damage? Though in the  article, it is no where stated she said she will support Vijayawada,  but it seems behind the negotiation doors, there is good possibility  she could support Vijayawada cause rather than our own,” said August Stein

Vizaglover Surya and added, “Enough madam, you already ditched and  back stabbed people of your constituency Visakha-patnam. Even though  Vizagites elected you as MP, you are pitching in to make Vijayawada  as the capital. What a shame. You are not being faithful to Vizagites. Now with your talk on Vijayawada capital, you have further aggravated  the problem. Now there is no option for Uttarandhra, but to go for a  separate state now. Jai Uttarandhra. Politicians for their personal  gains have ruined this state.”