Uneasy moments prevailed for a brief while when two groups of the ruling YSR Congress Party resorted to a ugly spar over the garlanding of Ambedkar statue at the bus stand junction in Kuppam, the constituency represented by TDP supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Sunday marking the death anniversary of the national leader.
According to information, two groups, led by local YSRCP leaders Kannan and Munaswamy with their followers, had reached the Ambedkar statue venue in a procession. Soon, the two sides reportedly took to fisticuffs as to who should first garland the statue. The ugly spat had reportedly continued for several minutes, with members of both sides running and chasing each other all over in the locality.
On information, the Kuppam police rushed to the spot and quelled the two sides. Constituency’s party in-charge Bharat had later sought the two sides to come to the office to hammer out a rapport between them.
‘Long history’
YSRCP cadres said both Kannan and Munaswamy, both formerly with the Telugu Desam Party, had been at loggerheads for the last several years, claiming upper hand in the locality and party affairs as well. At a time when the issue of local bodies’ elections has turned a hot topic in the State, the element of groupism in the TDP bastion is viewed as a big embarrassment to the party leaders Chittoor district. The party cadres further observed that this development would be brought to the notice of Panchayat Raj Minister and Chittoor strongman P. Ramachandra Reddy.
No complaint filed
Meanwhile, circle-inspector (Kuppam) Sridhar said that as and when information about the spat reached the station, the personnel had rushed there and pacified both groups. “No side has given any complaint so far,” the police officer said.
