BJP leaders are a miffed lot as Andhra University has turned down their request to use AU Engineering College grounds as the venue for the Prime Minister’s public meeting in the city on February 16.
Party sources said that the top officials of AU were approached, but the request was turned down.
‘Resolution adopted’
BJP leaders see ‘arm-twisting of the AU authorities by the TDP-ruled State government’ behind the decision. The TDP is trying to put spokes in the smooth conduct of the Prime Minister’s meeting, some BJP leaders said.
AU Vice-Chancellor G. Nageswara Rao said that the university had not received any official written communication from the party so far, but admitted that a verbal request was made by a BJP senior leader.
“We have no objection in giving the ground if the PM’s meeting is an official programme of the government. But, we have passed a resolution not to allow meetings, especially when the academic sessions are on,” Mr. Nageswara Rao said.
‘Partisan decision’
The BJP leaders said the TDP had thrown its weight behind AU to get the ground for various programmes, dubbing the denial of permission a ‘partisan decision’.
Further, the BJP leaders argued that the programmes might be official ones, but CM Naidu had turned those into political meetings.