Vijayawada: The death of a capital region farmer after he collapsed during a meeting with municipal administration minister P Narayana and officials over the proposed N-8 road alignment has triggered political controversy and renewed anger among Amaravati farmers facing displacement due to infrastructure projects.

The incident occurred on Friday during a meeting convened to discuss the expansion of the N-8 connectivity road linking Amaravati with surrounding regions. Farmers from Mandadam village met minister Narayana and local MLA Sravana Kumar to express their concerns, as the proposed alignment requires additional land and is expected to affect over 200 farmers, many of whom fear losing their houses and residential plots.

During the meeting, Dondapati Ramarao, a farmer from Mandadam, spoke at length about what he described as injustice in the land pooling process. He said he had surrendered two acres of fertile agricultural land for the capital’s startup area, which was later allotted to a Singapore-based company. In return, he was given a residential plot located in a low-lying area, allegedly part of a water stream, making it unfit for construction.

According to eyewitnesses, Ramarao became increasingly emotional as he questioned officials about where farmers should seek justice after sacrificing land for the capital. He reportedly said that officials had told him the allotment was made as per ministerial orders and that no changes were possible. Moments later, he collapsed at the meeting venue.

Fellow farmers attempted to revive him by administering CPR, and he was rushed to hospital in a vehicle from the minister’s convoy. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Locals said Ramarao had previously undergone bypass surgery, raising concerns that the stress of the meeting may have aggravated his condition.

On Saturday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to Ramarao’s family members over the phone, conveyed his condolences, and assured them that the government would stand by them. He also directed minister Narayana and MLA Sravana Kumar to provide all necessary support to the bereaved family.

Farmers in Mandadam said Ramarao’s death symbolises a deeper crisis unfolding in the capital region. They argue that while they willingly handed over fertile agricultural land for Amaravati, they are now being asked to vacate existing homes for road widening without being offered viable alternatives.

Many farmers have demanded that major roads be realigned through bypasses to avoid villages or that fully developed residential plots with proper roads, drainage, power supply and drinking water be provided close to their habitations before any eviction.

The opposition YSR Congress Party blamed the State government for the incident, alleging that farmers are being cheated in the name of development. YSRCP leaders accused the government of taking prime lands from farmers while allotting them uninhabitable plots near tanks and drains, and demanded that the government take moral responsibility for Ramarao’s death. The party said it would intensify protests in support of Amaravati farmers.

The NDA coalition government has reiterated its commitment to completing Amaravati’s development and establishing it as the State capital by 2027. However, discontent among farmers continues to grow, with many alleging that while private entities receive prime land parcels, those who sacrificed land for the capital are being pushed to remote and unliveable areas, deepening distrust and resistance on the ground.