Ongole: YSRCP & TDP blame police for inaction

Ongole(Prakasam district): The leaders of YSRCP, Telugu Desam Party and others claimed that their cadre is easily provoked as they eat salt and pepper and can't tolerate anyone commenting them.

The YSRCP and TDP activists attacked each other and created ruckus near polling centres at St Theresa High School and CSR Sarma College in Ongole, during the polling for East Rayalaseema Graduates MLC election held on Monday. Both the parties claimed that their opponents provoked them with words and actions, and their activists lost control and indulged in a brawl. The leaders of both the parties, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Damacharla Janardhana Rao alleged that the police department failed miserably in their duty and gave the scope to their opponents to attack their men.

In the press meets held on Monday and Tuesday, Damacharla Janardhana Rao said that the YSRCP activists are taunting TDP cadre and provoking them. He claimed that their Telugu Yuvatha leader was attacked by the YSRCP activists and the police officers also witnessed it. But the police took the victim to the police station instead of the YSRCP workers, who attacked, he alleged.

Janardhana Rao clarified that after learning the arrest of TDP youth leader, he went to the police station and spoke with SP Malika Garg over phone. "After I left the police station only, the SHO released the TDP youth leader," he said and challenged YSRCP leaders to check the CCTV cameras installed in the police station if anyone wants.

Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, at a press meet on Tuesday, warned the TDP leaders to stop provoking him. He said that he is trying to be calm and peaceful, but his followers are not like him. He said that they eat salt and pepper and respond easily to the provocative behaviour of the opponents. The YSRCP leader said that the former MLA might be thinking he is still in power and advised him to come to his senses. He advised the police department to initiate action on the staff, who cooperated with the TDP leaders to take away the arrested person from the police station and initiate criminal action on Janardhana Rao for barging in and threatening police officers.