After regime change in Andhra Pradesh, the bulldozers roll in

Since the Chandrababu Naidu-led government assumed power in Andhra Pradesh on June 12, the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) have been at loggerheads over several issues.

Earlier this month, the TDP alleged that it had “unearthed Jagan’s palace” at Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam, which the previous YSRCP government had claimed it was developing as a CM camp office-cum-tourist spot. Days later, the Naidu government demolished the YSRCP’s central office in Tadepalli, on the outskirts of Vijayawada, claiming that it was built without the required permissions.

The Andhra government has also slapped notices on YSRCP offices in all 26 districts of the state, alleging that 42 acres of land was “given away” to the party and the structures were being built using government funds worth Rs 677.5 crore. Sources said all 26 offices were built without permission and are currently in various stages of completion.

One of these notices was served this week by the Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation to YSRCP district president M Srinivasarao, asking him “to stop unauthorised construction work and submit a reply within seven days”.

A government source said: “While YSRCP offices in ASR, Chittoor and Ambedkar Konaseema districts were built on plots entangled in legal disputes, those in Visakhapatnam, West Godavari, Eluru and NTR districts were built on land given to various departments of the government.”

Similar issues had been found with YSRCP offices in other districts, the source said. Photos shared by the TDP of some of these offices show massive structures, built of expensive material, now lying in a state of disrepair or only half-constructed.

The YSRCP has called the notices and demolition