Tirupati: In a significant administrative development, the state government has issued a preliminary notification proposing the inclusion of six mandals under the Punganur constituency into Annamayya district, triggering both a major territorial reshuffle and renewed political hopes.
The move, which invites public objections and suggestions within 30 days, is seen as a step toward reorganising the region’s administrative boundaries.
The proposal, put forth by the Annamayya District Collector, seeks to merge Punganur, Chowdepalli, Somala, and Sadum from the Palamaner division, along with Rompicherla and Pulicherla from the Chittoor division, into Madanapalle revenue division.
This realignment has reignited aspirations among people of Madanapalle and Thamballapalle, who have long demanded a separate Madanapalle district with its own headquarters. Their dream, which found strong support in mass agitations led by the Madanapalle Jilla Sadhana Samithi (MJSS) before the 2022 district reorganisation, was sidelined when the YSRCP government designated Rayachoti as the headquarters of the new Annamayya district – reportedly under the influence of then-minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy.
However, the latest developments have shifted the momentum. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which returned to power in 2024, had promised during its campaign – through party leaders, including CM Chandrababu Naidu and Minister Nara Lokesh – that Madanapalle would be granted district status. Although the promise is yet to materialise, the ongoing move is being viewed as the first concrete step in that direction.
While hope is surging in Madanapalle, Chittoor district stands on the verge of a historic downsizing. Once the largest district in Andhra Pradesh with 66 mandals, Chittoor now faces a steep reduction. If the proposed changes are implemented, it will be left with just 25 mandals. Further trimming could occur if the remaining three mandals – Nagari, Nindra, and Vijayapuram – from the Nagari constituency, which are still part of Chittoor, are merged into Tirupati district as another two mandals – Puttur and Vadamalapet – are already in Tirupati district. Nagari MLA has been indicating that such a move is on the cards.
If this plan is realised, the Chittoor district will be reduced to just 22 mandals, cementing its transformation from one of the state’s largest districts into one of the smallest. In contrast, the people of Madanapalle find themselves at the cusp of long-awaited recognition, with fresh optimism that their region may soon achieve long-denied district status.
