Vijayawada city turned tense as TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal planned dharnas against each other on Monday.
The TDP chief announced that he would stage a dharna demanding construction of a fly-over at the Kanaka Durga temple. TDP is alleging that the State government has been ignoring the flyover proposal, which has been long pending. TDP workers made elaborate arrangements for Naidu’s dharna on Monday.
However, Lagadapati, the local MP has said that flyover should be taken up only after completion of the ring road. He also announced that he would stage a dharna on Monday. He has even expressed his willingness to meet Naidu and explain the situation.
However, the TDP leaders reacted sharply to Lagadapati’s proposal and made it clear that they would not allow him to meet Naidu. They have also criticized the local MP for resorting to a counter dharna, unnecessarily stalling the flyover construction.
Lagadapati has changed his tactics and announced that he would himself sanction his own funds for flyover construction, if necessary. As both parties are on a collision path, police made elaborate arrangements for preserving law and order in the city. (NSS)