Ignoring objections from Congress leaders, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju declared on Thursday that the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad here would be renamed after Telugu Desam founder and former Chief Minister, N.T.Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR.
Soon after assuming office in Delhi, he confirmed the move to rename the airport during his interaction with media.
Telugu Desam president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-designate, N. Chandrababu Naidu had mentioned during Mahanadu that his party would seek to rename the airport after NTR since TDP Lok Sabha member was now the Civil Aviation Minister.
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The decision of the former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to name the Shamshabad airport after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 2008 had triggered a controversy and led to protests from TDP leaders as till then the domestic terminal at Begumpet airport had NTR’s name while the international terminal was named after Rajiv Gandhi. Since then, TDP had been demanding to rename the Shamshahbad airport after the former Chief Minister.
Telangana Congress leaders have vehemently opposed plans to rename Rajiv Gandhi International Airport .
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumanth Rao criticising the move, said “It’s not a good precedent or tradition. Such attempts will hurt not only the sentiments of Telangana people but also those of Congress party”, Mr. Rao said and suggested Mr. Naidu to name Visakhapatnam airport after NTR, if the TDP was interested.
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Another Congress leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy said any attempts to rename Rajiv Gandhi airport would not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders declined to comment on the issue saying they were yet to discuss the matter. Telangana BJP president G. Kishan Reddy, however, felt that it was not proper on any party to name all schemes/programmes/installations after one person as Congress did in case of late Rajiv Gandhi.