TIRUPATI: High tension prevailed at Puttaparthi assembly constituency headquarters at Sri Sathya Sai district where the Telugu Desam party activists clashed with the ruling YSRCP activists on Saturday.
Police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the warring mobs in order to bring the situation under control.
Trouble began between the two parties after Telugu Desam party national general secretary Nara Lokesh during his Yuvagalam padayatra public meeting held at Puttaparthi a couple of days ago levelled corruption charges against Puttaparthi YSRCP MLA Duddekunta Sridhar Reddy.
The YSRCP MLA who strongly refuted the allegations, challenged the TDP to prove their charges or apologize to the people for misleading them.
Former TDP MLA Palle Raghunadha Reddy who accepted the challenge dared the YSRCP MLA to come for an open debate at Sathyamma temple at Hanuman junction today morning.
The Puttaparthi police who sensed the face-off between the YSRCP MLA D Sridhar Reddy and former TDP MLA Palle Raghunadha Reddy, could lead to a law and order situation, placed both the leaders under house arrest on Saturday morning.
However, the YSRCP MLA who managed to reach the temple first questioned Palle Raghunadha Reddy's whereabouts and left the temple complex.
Meanwhile, Palle Raghunadha Reddy who managed to sneak out of the local TDP office where he was placed under police custody, reached the Sathyamma temple and took an oath before the local deity that he stood by all his allegations levelled against YSRCP MLA Sridhar Reddy.
On the other hand, altercation broke out between a large number of YSRCP activists and Telugu Desam activists who reached the Hanuman junction and resorted to stone pelting against each other. The mob also threw chappals on each other and Palle Raghunadha Reddy's car was complete damaged during the clashes between the TDP and the YSRCP activists.
Meanwhile, the local police who sensed the situation was getting out of control, resorted to lathicharge and dispersed both the warring groups and finally the face-off was brought under control.
While Palle Raghunadha Reddy was later confined to the local TDP office, the MLA was confined to his residence by the Puttaparthi police.
On the otherhand, former Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu condemned the attack on TDP activists and Palle Raghunadha Reddy through Twitter on Saturday. "It had become a daily routine to stifle the voice of the opposition by instigating attacks. This reflects the fear of defeat and frustration in the YSRCP", Naidu Tweeted.
