Poll code: Cops stop Eatala Rajender

Warangal: Questioning how law differs for the ruling TRS leaders and the others, the BJP leaders on Friday expressed anger over the police, who obstructed the press meet of Eatala Rajender. Pointing to the press conference of Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Rythu Bandhu State chairman Palla Rajeshwar Reddy that held in Hanumakonda on Thursday, the BJP leaders questioned the rationale of the police in stopping their meeting in Warangal on Friday.

When Eatala arrived at a private hotel to address a press meet, the police led by ACP Giri Kumar stopped him, citing that it was against the poll code. Following which, senior BJP leaders – former MP Vivek, State general secretary G Premender Reddy, Hanumakonda district president Rao Padma etc., had an altercation with the police.

It's learnt that the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) of Huzurabad by-polls had instructed print and electronic media not to cover press conferences and other political programmes organised by political leaders during the silent period of 72 hours.

The BJP leaders questioned the police how they would object to their press meet. "The police didn't object to Errabelli and Palla when they spoke to media persons in Hanumakonda where poll code is prevailing. It's ridiculous police stopping our press meet in Warangal district where there is no poll code. It's not fair for the police to stop our meeting even though Eatala was not present," the leaders said. Referring to the press meet of Minister for Agriculture S Niranjan Reddy in Hyderabad on Thursday, the BJP leaders also pointed out the police's biased approach. The police are behaving like the TRS party workers, they said, accusing the State government of misusing the State machinery to its advantage.

Stating that their meeting was to portray the problems of the farmer, the leaders alleged that the TRS Government has links with the rice millers and were doing injustice to cultivators. It's learnt that Eatala appeared emotional after the police obstructed him in Warangal. "It's up to the people to decide my fate after my two-decade stint with them," Eatala said.

BJP State spokesperson A Rakesh Reddy, Karimnagar district president G Krishna Reddy, Desini Sadanandam goud and Bakam Harishankar were among others present.