BJP demands CBI, ED probe into ‘land scam’ of Tirupati district

BJP accuses YSRCP leaders and officials of land grabbing in Tirupati, demands CBI and ED investigation.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State secretary Kola Anand on Saturday alleged the involvement of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders and senior government officials in the land-grabbing activities linked to a substantial portion of the 6,000 acres of Tirupati district.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Anand alleged that former secretary at the Chief Minister’s Office during the YSRCP regime, Dhananjaya Reddy, the then Tirupati Collector Venkatrami Reddy, and Srikalahasti’s former YSRCP MLA Biyyapu Madhusudan Reddy were involved in the land scam, while demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe.

Mr. Anand said that the acquired lands, during the YSRCP government, valued at approximately ₹1,000 crores, were in Vikrutamala, Guravaraju Palli, Karakambadi, Annasampalle, and Venkatapuram panchayats. Allegations of a ₹200 crore land grabbing in the Rajiv Nagar locality of Srikalahasti had surfaced in recent weeks, involving YSRCP leaders, he added.

BJP state spokesperson Samanchi Srinivas also alleged that YSRCP leaders were destroying government land records “The State government issued orders in six districts to investigate the land scam that has led to the mishandling of records in 18 mandals across six districts. Approximately 18,000 acres of government lands of various categories were subjected to illegal acquisition under the guise of pre-hold, all at undervalued prices,” he claimed.