Clashes at BRS meeting in Huzurabad, MLC faces dissent from village-level leaders

Warangal: Groups within the BRS clashed at a meeting organised by MLC Padi Kaushik Reddy in Kamalapur mandal of Huzurabad constituency in Hanamkonda district.

While the MLC was speaking at the meeting, some village-level leaders interrupted him. Others present objected to this, which soon led to heated arguments.

Kaushik Reddy tried to convince both groups but did not succeed in calming them so that the meeting could go on smoothly. The MLC then announced that leaders who are not allowing the meeting to continue should leave the party. This added fuel to the fire and the groups started throwing chairs at each other.

Unable to bring peace, Kaushik Reddy left the meeting.

Protesting second-rung leaders alleged the MLC is behaving like a dictator. “Who is he to remove us from BRS when we have been with the party since the beginning. How can he order us not to bring our mobile phones to the meeting or switch them off,” he asked.

Even though Kaushik Reddy, Tourism Development Corporation chairman Gellu Srinivas and SC Corporation chairman Banda Srinivas represent the ruling party in Huzurabad constituency, they have no grip over leaders to be able to resolve differences within them.

After former minister Etala Rajendar joined the BJP after resigning from BRS, many of his followers and leaders left the party with him.

Yet, the remaining leadership, whether Kaushik Reddy, Gellu Srinivas or Banda Srinivas, is able to bring together the remaining BRS leaders and followers under one umbrella. Several leaders from mandal to district levels are trying to show their supremacy within the ruling party in Huzurabad constituency.