Naidu house row: TDP alleges vindictive politics

Amaravati: A day after an YSR Congress legislator Alla Ramakrishna Reddy said former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu would be evicted from his river-side residence, TDP leader P. Keshav alleged vindictive politics by the new government.

Keshav said since the matter was pending in the court, the YSRCP MLA’s remark was unwarranted. Reddy on Tuesday said the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief would be made to vacate the house as it was built on the river bed.

Naidu has been staying in the Undavalli house on the banks of Krishna river since 2016 when Andhra Pradesh shifted its administration to Amaravati from Hyderabad. Named ‘Praja Vedika’, the house was serving as official residence of the former Chief Minister.

The YSRCP MLA’s comment came a few days after Naidu wrote to the state government seeking permission to use ‘Praja Vedika’ for official purposes, like meeting the party workers. But the legislator’s remark showed the government was unwilling to accept Naidu’s request.

Naidu enjoys the rank of a cabinet minister in his capacity as the Leader of Opposition.

Ramakrishna Reddy, fighting a legal battle against unauthorised constructions, including Naidu’s house, said the fight would continue till all the structures built in violation of the River Conservancy Act, 1884 were demolished.

He said Naidu would be evicted as per the legal process as all constructions on the river bed were illegal.

He represents the Mangalagiri constituency, which covers the Amaravati capital region. In the April elections, he retained the seat defeating Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh.

Interestingly, Ramakrishna Reddy is also likely to be appointed chairman of the AP State Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA), the key government body looking after the capital region’s development.

The YSRCP has alleged a big land scam in Amaravati. The TDP leaders kept the people in dark about the choice of the state capital and purchased prime lands at throwaway prices, it said and alleged irregularities in land acquisition and awarding work contracts.

The Mangalagiri MLA said the Naidu’s house belonged to an industrialist and was taken on lease by the government to be used as the Chief Minister’s official residence. He said Naidu, who had been making tall claims about developing Amaravati as the world-class city, did not bother to buy a house and was staying in an illegal building.

Contrary to Naidu, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy purchased a house in Amaravati even before he led the YSRCP to power, he added.