Dharna Chowk rocked by protests of BJP, TDP

Vijayawada: Dharna Chowk was rocked with the protests of the BJP and TDP on Monday as two-party leaders levelled allegations and counter-allegations on various issues. 

The leaders of two parties locked horns and started making harsh comments against each other after the TDP pulls out of the NDA government nearly two months ago. 

Earlier, the BJP leaders staged a dharna in morning and the TDP in the afternoon. Sensing trouble, dozens of policemen were posted at Dharna Chowk to prevent any untoward incident. Earlier, the police denied permission to the TDP leaders to stage protest in the morning hours. 

According to reports, the TDP leaders staged a protest against the harsh comments made by the BJP leaders against the TDP government and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

TDP senior leader and MLC Buddha Venkanna led the dharna raising slogans against the BJP leaders. Speaking on the occasion, Venkanna alleged the BJP had betrayed the people of Andhra Pradesh on the Special Category Status (SCS) and would pay heavy price for it in the ensuing elections. 

He said the people of AP would teach a befitting lesson to BJP and warned that the TDP would not tolerate any such harsh comments against the TDP and Naidu. 

He alleged the BJP government at the Centre was delaying the release of funds to the state promised under the AP Reorganisation Act and creating hurdles for the development of the state. He said the Durga temple flyover construction works were delayed due to not releasing of grants by the Union government. 

Earlier, the BJP leaders under their state president Kanna Lakshminarayana, former Union minister Daggubati Purandeswari, MLC P Madhav, MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju and others lashed out at the TDP government alleging it was most corrupt and inefficient. Angry BJP functionaries raised slogans against the TDP government.