In a direct challenge to the BJP, the TDP has refused permission to the latter to construct their Party office in the core capital region.
The BJP, which has reportedly roped in about six lakh people as primary members, planned to open its new party office on the river bank in Undavalli village near Vijayawada by June this year.
Senior BJP leader and Union minister Venkayya Naidu had also performed a bhoomi pooja on the site donated by Narsapuram MP Gokaraju Gangaraju, last Sunday. But their hopes of having a party headquarters in the core capital city dashed last week after the state government refused to give clearances, saying the 0.5 acres was illegally occupied by the BJP MP.
“Gangaraju has violated the norms under the River Conservation Act by building three palatial guesthouses on the Krishna river bank, and he is cleverly trying to regularize his properties by giving half acre to his party. The state government will never allow this,“ said senior TDP leader YVB Rajendra Prasad.
He said that the Act disallows construction within 100 yards of the river bed and pointed out that while Gokaraju's guesthouses were adjacent to the river bed, the BJP office would also be in the prohibited area.
Interestingly, Amit Shah had stayed in one of these guesthouses during his trip to AP and had proposed that the new party office should come up there.
Amit Shah was reportedly aware of the controversy surrounding the land. However, if he expected Chandrababu Naidu to blindly toe his line, then he was in for a rude shock with the latter refusing permission.
Gokaraju on the other hand said that there was nothing illegal about his properties and the TDP was only indulging in politics. Naidu has finally founds the guts to take an anti-BJP stance. What is Amit Shah’s response going to be?
