The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on 12 July strongly condemned what it described as coercive police action against farmers in Undavalli, Andhra Pradesh, accusing the N. Chandrababu Naidu-led state government of deploying bulldozers and security personnel to forcibly seize agricultural land under the pretext of developing Amaravati as the state capital. The party's president, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, posted a detailed rebuke on his X account, demanding an immediate halt to all coercive land acquisition in the capital region.

What Happened in Undavalli

According to Jagan Mohan Reddy's post, despite farmers clearly expressing their unwillingness to surrender their land, the state administration deployed a large contingent of police, sent bulldozers into active agricultural fields, and destroyed standing crops. Farmers were reportedly dragged out of their own fields and subjected to intimidation. The YSRCP characterised these actions as a violation of democratic norms and an exercise in authoritarian governance.

The affected plots are located barely minutes from Vijayawada, adjacent to the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway, and bordering the urban limits of Tadepalli — making them high-value agricultural properties that reportedly command premium market rates.

YSRCP's Core Allegations

Reddy raised three pointed questions in his post: what will happen to investments farmers have already made in their standing crops; who will compensate them for the destroyed produce; and what legal authority the government holds to destroy family livelihoods in this manner. He noted that thousands of acres were acquired earlier in the name of the capital city, yet even those farmers who voluntarily surrendered their land have not, according to the YSRCP, received adequate justice or support.

The party further alleged that the government declared compensation as 'finalised on paper' without informing the affected farmers of the details — a process Reddy described as 'grossly unjust.' He questioned whose interests are truly being served by imposing arbitrarily low compensation and acquiring premium land without consent.

Demands Raised by the Opposition

The YSRCP has issued three specific demands: an immediate stop to all coercive land acquisition activities in the capital region; full compensation for all destroyed crops without delay; and a guarantee that no land will be acquired without the explicit consent of the farmers concerned. Reddy warned that the party 'will not remain silent while farmers are forcibly evicted, thrown onto the streets, and deprived of their dignity and livelihood.'

Broader Context

The Amaravati capital development project has been a persistent flashpoint in Andhra Pradesh politics since the state's bifurcation. The Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government had originally championed the greenfield capital before the project was stalled during the YSRCP's tenure in power. With the TDP returning to office, the capital project has been revived — but critics argue that the land acquisition process is being rushed without adequate stakeholder consultation. The government has not yet issued a formal response to the YSRCP's allegations as of the time of reporting.

How the state government addresses farmers' compensation grievances in the coming days is likely to shape the political temperature around the Amaravati project going forward.