Hyderabad: P Mahender Reddy abuses CI, lands in controversy

Hyderabad: Former minister and TRS MLC P Mahender Reddy has landed in a controversy after an audio went viral in which he was heard abusing and threatening a police officer in Tandur. Following instructions from the party leadership, he apologised for his comments.

The MLC reportedly abused the Tandur Town CI Rajender Reddy. The audio on the conversation has gone viral in social media. The issue was related to Rathotsavam of Bhavigi Bhadreshwara Swamy Temple in Tandur. The MLC was unhappy that followers of Tandur MLA were allowed to sit in front of him; the CI did not ask them to move away.

While the person speaking on the phone in the audio was heard asking the MLC to talk properly, Mahender Reddy lost his cool and abused the CI threatening him of dire consequences. According to sources, the issue reached the party leadership on Thursday when Tandur MLA Pilot Rohit Reddy met TRS working president KT Rama Rao and lodged a complaint. KTR is learnt to have asked the MLC to apologise and end the issue. Both the legislators are at loggerheads in the constituency. Frequently their followers are involved in tussles.

Rohit Reddy had defeated Mahender Reddy in 2018 elections and later joined TRS. Since then there has been a battle of supremacy between them. Both participate in official programs separately. They have given Iftar parties to Muslims in the constituency on separate days.

The MLC apologised to the police officer in the evening. Reddy expressed regret for his comments. "I have huge respect for the police. To me the police are brothers. I deeply regret if my comments hurt the police. The comments came in slip of tongue. It is laudable that the police have maintained best law and order in Telangana," said Reddy in a message to the media. It is learnt that he met the police official at an Iftar party in Tandur on Thursday and apologised.