BJP leaders taken into preventive custody, let off

Tadepalligudem: Former Endowment Minister and BJP MLA P Manikyala Rao sustained injuries when he tried to jump over the compound wall to evade house arrest on Thursday.

Tension prevailed in the town since morning when Endowment Minister negated the claims of the TDP leaders that he did not do any development to his Assembly constituency during his term as the minister. He challenged for an open debate with the TDP  leaders, headed by ZP Chairman Mullapudi Bapiraju over the development works undertaken in the constituency when he was the minister.

Both the leaders expressed readiness for an open debate at Venkatramanna Gudem. However, sensing trouble, the police intervened and stated that there was no police permission to conduct an open debate. The police also announced prohibitory orders under Section 144 and confined the movement of the BJP leader to his house. TDP leader and ZP chairman Mullapudi Bapiraju was also placed under house arrest.

In order to evade the house arrest, the BJP leader attempted to jump over the compound wall of his house and in the process he fell down and sustained injuries on his leg. He was rushed to the hospital.

On learning that the BJP leader sustained injuries, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao, BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana, MP Gokaraju Gangaraju and others tried to reach Tadepalligudem. 

However, the police took them into preventive custody at Manipal Hospital on the national highway in Guntur district stating that more trouble will be brewed if they reach Tadepalligudem. RS member GVL Narasimha Rao came down heavily on police for not allowing them to go to Tadepalligudem to call on injured party leader. 

The Police stopped BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana and MPs GVL Narasimha Rao, Gokaraju Ganga Raju and former Union minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao along with the activists at Manipal Hospital near Kanakadurga  Varadhi in Tadepalli town on Thursday while they were proceeding to Tadepalligudem to extend support to BJP MLA P Manikyala Rao's protest.

When the police stopped the BJP leaders, Kanna Lakshminarayana, GVL Narasimha Rao squatted on the NH-5 and raised slogans against the TDP government. They alleged that TDP government is taking revenge on the opposition parties.  Kanna warned that the voters would teach a fitting lesson to the TDP in the forthcoming election. 

Later, the BJP activists raised slogans against the TDP government. Police shifted Kanna Lakshminarayana and GVL Narasimha Rao to Kanna's residence at Kannavarithota in Guntur city. Later, Gokaraju Ganga Raju, Kavuri Sambasiva Rao returned to Vijayawada.

Addressing a press meet Kanna Lakshminarayana condemned their preventive custody while they were proceeding to Tadepalligudem and alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is weakening the opposition in the state. He condemned arrest of MLA P Manikyala Rao. 

BJP activists took out a rally from Kanna Lakshminarayana’s residence to Market Centre in Guntur city. Police took them into custody and shifted them to Nallapadu Police Station.

Later BJP leaders led by Kanna Nagaraju protested at Nallapadu Police Station for taking Kanna Lakshminarayana and GVL Narasimaha Rao into preventive custody. They raised slogans against TDP government in the state.Later they were released on bail.