Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy today passed orders to demolish ‘Praja Vedika’, a swanky conference hall that was built by former CM Chandrababu Naidu adjacent to his residence at a cost of Rs 8 crore on Monday. Jagan Reddy said, “If a building is constructed by a common man without abiding by all the rules and regulations, the government demolishes it.” The CM was addressing the Collector’s conference, an event Reddy said would be the last at the conference hall.
Earlier on Saturday, YSR Congress party reportedly took possession of ‘Praja Vedika’ to organise the event, while TDP termed it as ‘vendetta politics’. The opposition also alleged, that the ruling party also ‘threw out’ the former CM’s belongings from the building in Undavalli, and the party was not informed about the move beforehand.The opposition also alleged, that the ruling party also ‘threw out’ the former CM’s belongings from the building in Undavalli, and the party was not informed about the move beforehand. Chandrababu Naidu had been staying in the premise since 2016 – ever since the state capital shifted to Amravati from Hyderabad.
The conference hall, ‘Praja Vedika’ translating into people’s grievance cell was built by Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) for holding party meetings. Earlier this month, Naidu even wrote to CM Jagan Mohan Reddy to let him use the structure and requested him to declare the structure as a part of his residence.
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Last week, when Naidu was away with his family members, the ruling party took over ‘Praja Vedika’ and declared the conference would be held there, even though it was scheduled to be held ay the state secretariat. It was followed by a statement by YSRCP legislator Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, who noted that the former CM will have to vacate the house, as it is built illegally on the river bed.
Meanwhile, Municipal Administration Minister of YSCRP Botsa Satyanarayana lashed out on TDP saying, that Naidu would be treated the same way they treated Reddy when he was the opposition leader, reported News 18. Satyanarayana added that Naidu should have left gracefully and it was not proper for him to say the building belonged to him.
Senior TDP leader Y. Ramakrishnudu termed the development as a ‘witch hunt’, and said, “the ruling party deliberately took this action whereas they could have informed them about it earlier,” News18 reported.
