VIJAYAWADA: The difference of opinion in the BJP on the Land Titling Act has come to the fore once again with the party’s senior leader Lakshmipathi Raja saying that the propaganda against the Act, which was proposed by Niti Aayog, would not do any good to the tripartite alliance in the State.
A day after BJP spokesperson Lanka Dinakar criticised the Land Titling Act at a press meet, Raja took to X and posted, “Nothing can be achieved by misinterpreting the Land Titling Act proposed by Niti Aayog for the protection of land rights in the country. Those who are opposing it, should recognise that creating such things during elections will cause more harm to the alliance than benefit. If the alliance comes to power in the State, this law will have to be implemented.’’
It may be recalled that Raja has even opposed the BJP taking Anaparthi Assembly seat instead of Denduluru as part of seat sharing pact with the alliance partners TDP and JSP.
Dinakar, on the other hand, alleged that the Act is not Land Titling Act but Land Grabbing Act of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
He said Jagan and his Cabinet Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana and Dharmana Prasada Rao and Government Advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy have been making contradictory statements on the issue.
Clarifying further, Dinakar said there were differences in the Niti Aayog draft and the State government Act. While the Title Registration Officer as per the Niti Aayog draft is a government officer, any individual can be appointed as per the State government Act, he pointed out.
Dinakar further said as per the draft, for any resolution of disputes, a Land Disputes Resolution Officer should be appointed. However, the State government Act says that Land Titling Appellate Officer would resolve the issue. The Niti Aayog draft states that “No civil court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any proceedings in respect of any matter, which any Title Registration Officer appointed, Land Dispute Resolution Officer and Land Titling Appellate Tribunal established under this Act, are empowered by or under this Act to determine.’’
Meanwhile, sources said issues like reservation for Muslims and the Land Titling Act have created a difference of opinion between the two parties and also within the same party. While the BJP has vehemently opposed reservation for Muslims, the TDP claimed that it is the one which supported the ongoing legal battle for justice by the Muslim community to get 4% reservation, in Andhra Pradesh.
The difference of opinion has come in handy for the YSRC to corner the tripartite alliance. YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy maintained that the Land Titling Act was based on the recommendations of the NDA government at the Centre, and demanded the State BJP to question its alliance partner on the issue.