Amaravati, December 02, 2025: The Andhra Pradesh government's draft reorganisation plan for Nellore district has unleashed a storm of discontent among farmers and residents, who are protesting the proposed merger of the Gudur constituency, including key mandals like Gudur, Chillakur, Kota, Vakadu, and Chittamur, into Tirupati district under the Gudur revenue division.
The move, reversing earlier assurances from Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh to integrate Gudur with Nellore, has been slammed as a betrayal that could strip locals of vital water access and economic equity.
"Somasila and Kandaleru are lifelines for Nellore farmers. If jurisdiction shifts to Tirupati, farmers of Podalakuru, Manubolu, Venkatachalam, and nearby areas will depend on another district for water releases, leading to inevitable disputes," former minister and YSRCP Nellore District President Kakani Govardhan Reddy told reporters, highlighting the ripple effects on irrigation and land issues for villages like Inukurthi, Mudigedu, and Biradavolu.
The outrage stems from the plan's potential to disrupt water management for the Kandaleru reservoir, where 30% of the ayacut falls in Nellore, and the Somasila project, integral to the district's agriculture. BJP State Convenor Midathala Ramesh amplified the concerns, warning that separating Kandaleru from Nellore would trigger "water management and revenue administration issues," robbing Podalakuru and Manubolu farmers of riparian rights they've held for centuries.
"From the 120 TMC allocation through Pothireddypadu from Srisailam, not even one TMC was given to Nellore," Ramesh pointed out, underscoring the district's historical restraint in interstate sharing, even supplying Chennai drinking water during droughts. Gudur MLA Pasam Sunil Kumar, who repeatedly raised the issue in the Assembly, has reminded the government of its pre-poll commitments, fueling a social media campaign by Nellore influencers demanding a rethink.
