Maharashtra charters plane to send Naidu back to Hyderabad
July 20th, 2010 - 10:00 pm ICT by IANSAurangabad, (Maharashtra), July 20 (IANS) Acting swiftly, the Maharashtra government Tuesday evening chartered an Indian Airlines aircraft from Mumbai to ferry Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and around 90 of his supporters back to Hyderabad, official sources said.
The 116-seater Airbus A319 chartered aircraft left Mumbai for Aurangabad Tuesday evening even as Naidu and his cavalcade were driven straight to the Chikhalthana Airport, instead of the Harsul Central Jail, as originally planned.
The official said that as soon as the relevant formalities are completed and the orders are received releasing the TDP activists, the flight would take off for Hyderabad.
The motorcade carrying Naidu and his supporters was greeted with angry Shiv Sainiks shouting slogans outside the airport, as security personnel struggled to keep them under control.
The Maharashtra governemnt late Tuesday dropped all charges against Naidu and his supporters and arranged to send them back to Andhra Pradesh in the night apprehending law and order problems.
“The process to withdraw all charges against Naidu and 65 others is currently underway and we hope to complete it in a couple of hours,” Ghulane told IANS.
Official sources in Mumbai said the move was prompted by statewide protests against Naidu and the TDP’s anti-Babli Dam agitation.
Soon after Naidu’s cavalcade left Dharmabad for Aurangabad, nearly 475 km away, it was greeted by protests, slogan shouting, stone pelting and black flags all along the route.
Earlier in the morning, some alleged TDP supporters entered into a scuffle with top police and civil officials in Dharmabad town of Nanded district, where they had been lodged in an Industrial Training Institute since Friday.
Even as the government decided to shift them to Aurangabad, the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena adopted an aggressive stance and upped their anti-TDP stance.
Hundreds of activists from both parties squatted on the roads reading to the Harsul Central, on the outskirts of the historic city.
The issue has also rocked the Maharashtra legislature since the past two days.
- Maharashtra drops charges against Naidu, to fly him back (Lead) - Jul 20, 2010
- Charges against Naidu dropped, high drama at Aurangabad (Second Lead) - Jul 20, 2010
- Charges dropped, Naidu arrives in Hyderabad (Night Lead) - Jul 21, 2010
- Naidu outwitted by Maharashtra to make him leave - Jul 25, 2010
- Naidu, colleagues being moved to Aurangabad jail - Jul 20, 2010
- Supreme Court to hear Babhali Barrage issue in August (Lead) - Jul 21, 2010
- Boycott Naidu, other TDP leaders: MNS - Jul 20, 2010
- TDP leader receives rousing welcome on return to Hyderabad - Jul 21, 2010
- Naidu, colleagues sent to Aurangabad jail (Lead) - Jul 20, 2010
- Maharashtra to drop charges against TDP chief, supporters - Jul 20, 2010
- Anti-TDP slogans raised in Maharashtra house - Jul 19, 2010
- Babhali Barrage issue hearing in Supreme Court in August - Jul 21, 2010
- TDP agitation in Maharashtra inspired by Congress, alleges Shiv Sena - Jul 21, 2010
- Naidu's judicial custody extended till July 26 (Lead) - Jul 19, 2010
- Maharashtra parties want Naidu to withdraw protest - Jul 18, 2010
Tags: aggressive stance, airbus a319, aurangabad, black flags, cavalcade, central jail, chandrababu naidu, chartered aircraft, civil officials, formalities, indian airlines aircraft, law and order, maharashtra government, maharashtra navnirman sena, motorcade, security personnel, shiv sainiks, shiv sena, statewide protests, tuesday evening