TRS pelts stones on BJP meeting, Eatala’s staffer hurt, both sides file plaints

HYDERABAD: Telangana state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said that the TRS was trying to use every trick in the book to postpone the Munugode byelection, fearing a defeat, following violent clashes at Palivela village in Munugode on Tuesday.

He said the TRS had unleashed vicious attacks on BJP leader Etala Rajendar and BJP workers.

“As all surveys were indicating a win for the BJP, TRS is making desperate efforts to postpone the election. I request the Election Commission and police to be on high alert to thwart such attempts,” Sanjay said.

Union minister G. Kishan Reddy condemned the attacks on their party workers and staff. “People of Munugode are closely watching these developments. They will definitely bury the TRS at Munugode crossroads. These kinds of attacks are not at all acceptable. Even Etala’s personal staffer Chaitanya was severely injured in the attack,” he said.

Meanwhile, when Sanjay was addressing a roadshow, along with senior leaders D.K. Aruna and party candidate Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy at Tandarpet, said TRS cadres charged towards their campaign chariot, creating commotion.

Sanjay said that ‘TRS goons’ were trying to attack them but police are staying mute. “If you do not act, we will have to act. If BJP workers also resort to attacks like them, TRS leaders cannot roam around safely,” warned Sanjay.

Rajgopal Reddy alleged that he was campaigning peacefully, but TRS leaders were trying to provoke him by attacking his rallies.

TRS strongly condemned the incidents of violence incidents in Palivela. The party alleged that the BJP was resorting to such attacks, unable to digest the fact that TRS was going to win the bypoll even after the BJP had spent hundreds of crores of rupees.

TRS working president and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao, while addressing a road show in Munugode on Tuesday, accused the BJP of bringing “a culture of electoral violence” to Telangana by resorting to attacks on TRS leaders and workers in Palivela.

“Telangana never witnessed violent incidents during elections. All parties used to conduct their campaign peacefully. But BJP has brought violent culture in elections in Telangana with this Munugode bypoll. This shows their frustration at the prospect of losing the bypoll even after spending hundreds of crores of rupees,” Rama Rao said.

Finance minister T. Harish Rao said that since TRS enjoyed people’s support, BJP had become desperate. But he urged party cadres to act with restraint in view of the polling.

Violence was first reported in the afternoon when TRS and BJP cadres allegedly resorted to stone pelting against each other. Head constable Anjaiah, who was among BJP MLA Etala Rajendar’s security detail, received bleeding injuries during the clashes.

The TRS claimed that their party MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLA Peddi Sudershan Reddy and ZP chairman Jagadeesh and several other workers received injuries.

When Rajendar along with his wife Jamuna were addressing a BJP rally in Palivela, a bike rally of TRS workers was passing by. The pink party workers took objection to Rajendar’s address, which led to an argument between both parties, followed by stone pelting.

Security personnel immediately brought down Rajendar and Jamuna and shifted them out safely. However his vehicle was damaged in the stone pelting. One of the security personnel present at the spot said that there were stones raining suddenly and they had to rush the VIPs to safety and in the process, their men were also injured.

Responding to the Palivela incident, police said that both parties have lodged complaints against each other, following which cases have been registered at Munugode police station and are being investigated.

TRS MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, in his complaint at Munugode police station said that BJP MLA Rajendar hurled abuses at them and instigated their party workers, following which, BJP “goons” attacked them with stones and sticks and injured several party workers.

He sought action against the Rajendar, his wife Jamuna and Rajagopal Reddy.

Meanwhile, Rajendar’s personal staffer M. Chaitanya, who was injured in the incident, in his complaint told the police that when the MLA and other party leaders were holding a meeting, TRS MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLA Peddi Sudershan Reddy, along with their followers attacked them, leaving Rajender, a head constable, party workers and common people injured.

“They attempted to kill us,” Chaitanya said in his complaint.