The BJP may have tacit understanding with the ruling YSRCP on several things. But, there is one issue where both the BJP and the YSRCP are at loggerheads. Both the parties are fighting over the alignment of a road sanctioned by the Central Government. Both the parties are trying to undercut one another.
The Central Government has recently sanctioned a new road linking National Highway No 16 in Ravulapalem of East Godavari with the Highway No 226 in Amalapuram. The AP BJP wants this road to be laid via Mandapalli and Kothapeta. AP BJP chief Somu Veerraju has even submitted a memorandum with this demand to the Union Minister for Surface Transport. But the YSRCP wants this road to be build via Palivela.
Interestingly, both the distances are the same. But the issue is about land acquisition. The BJP wants it via Mandapalli because, according to it, there would be no problem with the land acquisition. It says the YSRCP’s proposal entails large amount of land acquisition and therefore lengthy litigation.
With both the parties fighting over the route map, the whole work has been stalled at present. The local YSRCP leaders are completely opposed to the BJP proposal.. The matter was further complicated when BJP National Chief JP Nadda recently tweeted in favour of the local BJP leaders. Thus, a road that connects has turned out to be a road that ‘divides.’
