A village in the capital city region of Andhra Pradesh has decided to build a temple for chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on the banks of the Krishna river.

Some villagers of Harischandrapuram are reportedly building an idol of the chief minister, anywhere between 15-20 feet tall, to express their gratitude for including their village in the capital region.

"This is our way of thanking our CM who has been relentlessly working for the new capital. As there is no other auspicious occasion than the stone-laying ceremony on October 22 for the capital, we are going ahead to lay the stone for the temple on the same day and at the same 'muhurtham' between 12:35 pm and 12:45 pm," the village sarpanch told the Times of India.

The temple is planned to cost at least Rs 15-20 lakh and can go up to Rs 1 crore, with the entire cost borne by villagers. Architects are yet to be approached.

However, opposition parties have criticized the temple plan. "We have seen fans building temples for their favourite movie stars. This temple for a politician who has grabbed farmers' land is absurd," a CPI leader told the newspaper.