Rival TD leaders keep police on tenterhooks

Nellore: Police and revenue officials at Addanki in Prakasam district were on tenterhooks over possible law and order problem in the segment when followers of Addanki legislator Gottipati Ravi Kumar and MLC Karanam Balaram arranged programmes to lay foundation stones for a cement road at Ward No 14 in the town on Saturday. The MLC and legislator have been at loggerheads since long and the differences escalated further, following the murder of two followers of Mr Karanam Balaram,  allegedly by Mr Ravikumar’s men, a few months back.

According to the locals, Mr Ravikumar has directed the officials to arrange the foundation stone laying ceremony for the cement road. Followers of Mr Karanam Balaram also arranged a plaque to enable their leader to unveil the same allegedly because officials failed to invite municipal chairman Parimi Dayamani who is a follower of Mr Balaram. Special party police as well as armed reserve constables were posted at the place and the security arrangements were heightened in the town fearing trouble.

To the relief of police and officials, both groups came one after the other and Mr Balaram did not turn up for the programme. According to the police,  Gottipati Ravikumar came first and unveiled the plaque to mark the inauguration of the works. When asked about another plaque readied by his rival group for the same cement road, he said he does not know about it. He added his motto is development and he will not take such issues to the notice of the high command.

Meanwhile, municipal chairperson Dayamani unveiled the second plaque after taking out a rally from municipal office, along with the supporters of Karanam Balaram. He said Mr Balaram could not come for the programme due to some reasons. He said he was compelled to install another plaque because of protocol violation.