Visakhapatnam: TDP leader Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy decries bid to grab Ramanaidu Studio land

Mangalagiri: Former minister and TDP leader Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy on Saturday alleged that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and his party MP V Vijayasai Reddy had set their sight on the prime lands of the Ramanaidu Studio located in the Visakhapatnam beach road.

Satyanarayana Murthy termed it regrettable for the Chief Minister and his henchmen to stoop to the level of threatening even a prestigious film industry family like that of the late Ramanaidu.

Vijayasai Reddy was acting as shameless broker in this murky issue which was aimed at grabbing 34.44 acres land of the studio, he said.

Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader demanded the Jagan Reddy government to explain why it was systematically destroying all chances for growth and development in the steel city. Right now, lots of artists and workers were finding job opportunities in the film industry.

The Chandrababu Naidu government allotted land for the Ramanaidu Studio in 2002 in order to usher in a new era of development in Vizag.

Satyanarayana Murthy said that the subsequent Rajasekhar Reddy government had also extended its support for the Ramanaidu family who eventually completed their studio in 2008. Many artistes were able to find work because of this in Vizag. However, the Jagan Reddy regime had different plans, he added.

The TDP leader alleged that the ruling party leaders had already grabbed the Karthikavanam lands. The Baypark was handed over to Vijayasai Reddy's son-in-law. The Daspalla owners were also being threatened.

They had set their sights on the Waltair Club lands as well. The Lulu Group was sent back and the lands allotted for it were being sold.

He deplored that the Vizag residents were living in constant fear of land grabs and encroachments by the YSRCP leaders. Jagan Reddy and Vijayasai Reddy came to Vizag only to loot and destroy the peaceful and beautiful city.