‘Vendetta politics': Andhra Pradesh authorities demolish YSRCP office building

The building was on allegedly illegally occupied land measuring 870.40 square meters in R.S No.202-A-1 in the boat yard compound of Seethanagaram in Guntur.

The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) and Mangalagiri Tadepalli Municipal Corporation (MTMC) demolished an under-construction office building of the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) in the early hours of Saturday. Responding to the development, YSRCP said it was the ‘beginning of vendetta politics.’

YSRCP said in a statement that the under-construction office was demolished despite the high court order and called the action a contempt of court. (ANI/Screengrab)

The building was on allegedly illegally occupied land measuring 870.40 square meters in R.S No.202-A-1 in the boat yard compound of Seethanagaram in Guntur district's Tadepalli Mandal, The Hindu reported.

"TDP is doing vendetta politics. The demolition proceeded even though the YSRCP had approached the High Court the previous day, challenging the preliminary actions of the AP CRDA (Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority). The court had ordered a halt to any demolition activity," the party was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

On Friday, YSRCP Guntur district president M Seshagiri Rao filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court asking the court to order the State government, CRDA, and MTMC not to take any action against the building until the hearing is completed.

“Without considering the Reply furnished by the YSRCP to the CRDA in pursuance of the provisional order on 10.06.2024 vide File No.MAU61-DP0VIJ (UAC)/25/2024-DP as illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional and also violative of principles of natural justice and consequently direct the CRDA not to demolish the structures and to pass such other order or orders as this the Court may deems fit just and proper in the circumstances of the case," it said in its plea.

YSRCP said in a statement that the under-construction office was demolished despite the high court order and called the action a contempt of court.

“This unprecedented action, the first instance of a party office being demolished in the state’s history, commenced around 5:30 am using excavators and bulldozers.”

It further added, “The Court had ordered a halt to any demolition activity, an order conveyed to the CRDA Commissioner by the YSRCP’s lawyer. However, the CRDA proceeded with the demolition, potentially amounting to contempt of court. The demolished structure was prepared for a slab before being razed. The CRDA’S defiance of the High Court’s directive may now draw further legal scrutiny.”

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and the state's CM Chandrababu Naidu of taking the political vendetta to another level.

In a post on X, Reddy said, “Like a dictator, he had bulldozers demolish the nearly completed YSR Congress Party central office in Tadepalli. He disregarded the High Court's orders. Law and justice have completely disappeared in the state. Following the violent incidents after the elections, Chandrababu is spilling blood and, through this incident, is sending a violent message about how the governance will be for the next five years. YSR Congress Party will not bow down to these threats or acts of vendetta, nor will it show any cowardice. We will fight firmly on behalf of the people, for the people, and with the people. I urge all democrats in the country to condemn Chandrababu's misdeeds.”