Hyderabad: Authorities in Andhra Pradesh have razed to the ground the “Praja Vedika” building, built by former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu next to his residence in Amaravati for holding official and party meetings.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, describing the structure as “illegal”, had ordered its demolition and said this will mark the drive to demolish all such structures.

Meanwhile, the building that Chandrababu Naidu had been renting as his residence while chief minister has also been listed among “illegal” structures and is likely to face demolition.

The residence building belongs to real estate promoter Lingamaneni Estates private Ltd.

The operation to demolish the Praja Vedika building started around 1am on Wednesday and workers using bulldozers and heavy machinery continued the demolition throughout the day despite heavy rains.

Earlier a team of officials and workers led by the Additional Commission, Capital Region Development Authority Vijay Krishnan visited the building on Tuesday evening and started shifting furniture, air conditioners, computers, flower pots and decorative plants and other items from the building to the other places.

Alleging that several buildings were built violating rules during the Naidu regime, Jaganmohan Reddy had told a conference of district collectors that all such buildings will be demolished.

The decision to raze the Praja Vedika building came days after Naidu had petitioned the government, saying the building should be allocated to him so he could continue to use it for meetings.

Meanwhile, the residential building, spread over an area of 0.5 hectares, is situated on the banks of the river Krishna.

Before Naidu decided to use it as his residence, the building was a guesthouse.

Officials say the guesthouse as well as the Praja Vedika building were constructed on the bed of river Krishna in violation of River Conservation Act.

Chandrababu Naidu who returned from his foreign tour late on Tuesday night said the demolition was a “vendetta operation” and a waste of public money.

Naidu ordered the construction of the Praja Vedika building cadjacent to his rented house in Undavalli area built at a cost of Rs80 million (Dh4.2 million).

“It is foolish to destroy government property”, he said.

Naidu, who held a meeting with the senior Telugu Desam Party officials on Wednesday, questioned Jaganmohan Reddy whether he would also order the demolition of the statues “installed illegally”, including that of his father Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

The demolition of the building marks an escalation in tensions between the two political rivals since Jaganmohan Reddy led his YSR Congress to power, defeating Naidu’s TDP in the state assembly elections about five weeks ago.

In a related development the state government has also scaled down the security of Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh and other family members.

The strength of Lokesh’s security guards was reduced to four from five.

Earlier the government had also reduced the number of vehicles in Naidu’s convoy.