TRS, Cong workers clash near TPCC chief's house

HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy at Jubilee Hills on Tuesday as a few Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) activists tried to attack the house and burn his effigy. The TRS activists gathered near the house of the TPCC chief to protest against the alleged remarks made by him against minister K.T. Rama Rao.

For the last few days, a war of words has been going on between Revanth Reddy and TRS working president Rama Rao on twitter. Revanth threw a ‘white challenge’ to Rama Rao for a drug test and waited for him at Gun Park on Monday. Rama Rao did not accept the challenge but filed a defamation suit against the TPCC chief for drugs allegations against him.

Noticing the presence of TRS activists at Revanth Reddy’s residence, some Congress activists retaliated against TRS activists with sticks. The TRS activists pelted stones at the Congress workers. In the melee, a few activists sustained minor injuries. Some Congress activists chased the TRS activists with sticks. The police intervened and prevented violent attacks by both the groups.

Congress activists raised slogans in support of Revanth Reddy. They warned that they would give a fitting lesson, if any TRS activists tried to provoke them at Revanth Reddy’s residence.

Meanwhile, TPCC senior vice president Mallu Ravi and former MLA Malreddy Ranga Reddy strongly condemned the TRS activists’ attack on Revanth’s residence.

The TPCC president called for white challenge only to make Telangana state drugs-free, and it would not defame any one, they said. Elected representatives should take drug tests to become role models for others, they added.  A police picket was set up near Revanth Reddy’s residence as a precautionary measure.

However, the Congress called its cadre to burn the effigies of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao across the state for attack on TPCC chief’s residence. “Congress leaders should burn effigies in all mandal headquarters condemning the attack,” said TPCC working president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud, Bellaiah Naik and others.

TPCC termed the attack as a provocative act of the ruling party. A call centre would be set up in Gandhi Bhavan for the security of party cadre, they said. The Congress will extend legal aid, if party leaders faced any cases from the TRS, they assured.