More skeletons tumble out of YSRCP’s closet

Visakhapatnam: When YSRCP was voted to power in 2019, the party leaders took up a bunch of projects violating norms.

However, after the formation of the new alliance government post 2024 polls, such projects are now under the scanner.

While the TDP leaders are pointing them out on one side, complaints are also made by social activists on the other. Even as the public grievance redressal system (PGRS) is now being taken up on Mondays (earlier it was termed as ‘spandana’), a number of activists and party leaders formed a beeline for the departments to raise their voice against irregularities witnessed during the YSRCP government. Among a bunch of grievances given to the officials concerned, former minister Gudivada Amarnath’s commercial building was also included in the list of irregularities.

The complaint mentioned that a five-storeyed commercial building at Chettivanipalem in Gajuwaka was built without following any norms by the former minister. Even as the GVMC officials issued notice against the irregularities, the then minister did not respond to it. Since the YSRCP was in power, the officials concerned could not proceed beyond issuing the notice.

But now, it’s a different scenario as a number of TDP and JSP activists bring the violation to the notice of the officials. On Monday, JSP corporator P Murthy Yadav submitted an application at the PGRS about the violation. Responding to which, the GVMC officials issued a notice to the former IT minister, directing him to respond in a week.

However, in the same constituency, the YSRCP government was swift enough to demolish a building belonging to TDP former MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao for violating norms then.

In the prime city area too, the then Visakhapatnam MP M V V Satyanarayana initiated a real estate project at CBCNC land and eventually closed the busiest Tycoon hotel junction to suit the convenience of the project. Despite locals raising repeated complaints that the rocks in the area were blasted to make way for the project, none of the officials dared to come forward to pay heed to their pleas.

But, as soon as the BJP-TDP-JSP voted to power, the junction was retained as before for the public. Also, the GVMC issued a notice that some of the works related to the real estate project at Siripuram, including blasting of rocks, need to be halted with immediate effect.

In another case, Vistruta Dalita Sanghala Aikhya Vedika representatives gave a complaint against Visakha Sri Sarada Peetham and demanded the land allotted by the YSRCP to the peetham should be taken back as there were irregularities. Earlier, the land was allotted to Veda Patasahala and the Vedika members demanded that TTD should run such institutions.

After five years, steps are on to correct irregularities witnessed on Andhra University campus. Many lodged a complaint that the Vice Chancellor of the varsity PVGD Prasad Reddy is focused more on heading the campus as YSRCP party office.

Also, violating rules, the VC promoted some of the professors into higher ranks. Such violation is also under the scanner and steps will be taken to reverse the promotion and appoint eligible Professors based on seniority and other criteria.