Tension prevails at BJP office as AAP activists stage protest

Tirupati: Tension prevailed for some time at the BJP office in the city on Monday when Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists staged a protest blocking BJP state president Somu Veerraju who was on a campaign in support of the party candidate contesting the Graduate MLC election. Following the State party call, AAP leaders from Tirupati, Kadapa and Annamayya districts reached the BJP office to stage a protest against the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

The AAP activists holding banners and raising slogans against the arrest of party senior leader Sisodia by the CBI sleuths in the liquor policy scam case in Delhi, stood before BJP State chief car obstructing him, leading to the BJP activists clashing with them resulting in tension.  BJP activists and AAP activists entered into a heated verbal altercation which turned into pushing and pulling each other. The BJP activists who were at the office for a meeting joined with the party activists and thus outnumbered AAP activists who gave up their protest and retreated to stage a protest on the road. Later, they disbursed.

AAP Tirupati constituency convener Nagesh in a statement alleged that the BJP activists behaved in a highhanded manner against the AAP activists who were peacefully protesting against the arrest of Sisodia who was falsely implicated in the liquor policy scam. BJP activists attacked AAP leaders when they tried to give representation to Veerraju, he said. Earlier, BJP State chief Veerraju speaking to media said that the ruling YSRCP has no moral right to seek votes in the MLC election as it failed in all fronts particularly providing employment to youth.

Claiming that Centre fulfilled almost all its promises made at the time of reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh, he said that the Union government has been providing the required funds for various welfare schemes and development initiatives in the State but the YSRCP claimed them of its own. Veerraju is here campaigning in favour of party candidate S Dayakar Reddy who is contesting from the MLC Graduates constituency (Rayalaseema East).