Tension gripped Kuppam on Friday with activists of the ruling YSR Congress Party and the Telugu Desam Party pulling down the publicity flexis and banners of the other party at several places along the roadshow of TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu, who arrived at Kuppam in the afternoon on a two-day visit.
The stretch between the R&B Road and the arterial junctions in the town witnessed intense activity with cadres of both parties removing the publicity material. Tragedy struck the tense development after a supporter of the TDP was reportedly electrocuted at Pandhyalamadugu village after coming in contact with an overhead power line while trying to tie a party flag atop a private bus ferrying party workers to Kuppam. In spite of the tense moments, the police were conspicuous in their absence at several junctions.
Convoy blocked
It was pandemonium along the roadshow of Mr. Naidu from Karnataka border to Kuppam town, with his convoy getting blocked repeatedly, with a surge of party cadres from across Kuppam region and the neighbouring constituencies.
It was estimated that party cadres from across the western mandals reached Kuppam on more than 10,000 motorcycles and 500 four-wheelers in rallies, apart from arranging about 100 private buses to mobilise crowds.
The TDP workers complained to Mr. Naidu that the YSRCP leaders in Kuppam had deliberately not left any corner in the town to erect welcome banners for him (Naidu). A couple of days ago, the YSRCP cadres had put up giant publicity material at several places in Kuppam to welcome Rajampet MP P.V. Mithun Reddy for the Phase II of Asara programme.
High drama
High drama prevailed at the public meeting venue at RTC bus stand area, when Mr. Naidu was addressing the gathering from the stage. A man, along with a few others crashed into the crowds, carrying a bag. This unnerved the TDP workers, who caught hold of him and allegedly thrashed him. The TDP cadres suspected the man was carrying country bombs in the bag.
The police identified the person as Mohan, a employee of Tourism department who took charge there on Friday. He is a native of Chandragiri mandal, who went to Kuppam on transfer. The police rescued the man and sent him to Government Hospital at Kuppam.
Power
Meanwhile, the TDP cadres alleged that the electricity department officials deliberately disconnected power supply to the R&B Guest House in Kuppam, the scheduled venue for Mr. Naidu’s stay. However, the officials rejected the allegations, and clarified that a generator had also been kept as a standby.
The police heaved a sigh of relief with no major untoward incident except for minor jostling and pulling down of each other’s publicity material.
