Tension prevailed at the Tangutur toll plaza on the Chennai-Kolkata highway for some time as Prakasam police foiled an attempt by a large number of ruling YSR Congress Party activists to lay a siege to the residence of Telugu Desam Party MLA Dola Balaveeranjenaya Swamy at Naidupalem on Saturday.
Tangutur police had a tough time restraining the supporters of former YSRCP Kondepi Assembly segment in-charge V. Ashok Babu, who insisted on proceeding to Mr. Swamy’s residence to protest against the corruption charges levelled by the TDP MLA against former Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy.
The TDP activists had already gathered in good strength at the MLA’s residence to protect him.
Sensing that the situation might go out of control, the Tangutur police on a specific direction from Superintendent of Police Malika Garg took into preventive custody 20 ruling party local leaders, including Mr. Ashok Babu.
Meanwhile, Mr. Swamy said it was unfortunate that members of the ruling party were trying to physically attack Opposition leaders without any capability to take on the TDP politically.
Mr. Ashok Babu, who was denied the YSRCP party ticket in 2019, was trying to be in the good books of the party leadership by resorting to such “intimidatory tactics”, he alleged.
TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu condemned the alleged rowdyism by YSRCP leaders even as a large number of TDP leaders including former MLAs Divi Sivaram and M. Ugranarasimha Reddy called on Mr. Swamy at his residence and expressed solidarity with him.
The TDP men would not be cowed down by such aggressive and violent tactics by ruling YSRCP, TDP Ongole Lok Sabha unit president N. Balaji asserted.
