TD to go to Babli despite Maha block

The Telugu Desam chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, is going ahead with his Babli yatra on Friday despite the Maharashtra government not giving him permission to visit the site of the controversial dam.

Mr Naidu is journeying to the project site at the border of Adilabad with Maharashtra to protest the neighbouring state’s decision to install gates in violation of the Supreme Court direction. Anticipating trouble, the Maharashtra government has declared high alert across the border and the state police has set up check posts at Karlapata on Nizamabad-Biloli route, Kandakurthy on Renjal-Dharmabad route and near Biderelli on Basar-Dharmabad route.

In 2007, when a Telugu Desam delegation led by Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy tried to force their way to project site they were caned by the Maharashtra police.

For Mr Naidu, the march is also an attempt to forge unity in the party after the Telangana—Seema Andhra tussle. For the first time in months, Telugu Desam MLAs are joining hands for a cause.