Mylavaram MLA and Telugu Desam Party Krishna district president Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and party Vijayawada Central In-charge Bonda Umamaheswara Rao were arrested here on Saturday, when these leaders were preparing to launch indefinite fast demanding withdrawal of Congress Working Committee decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.
The Police said that the two Opposition party leaders were taken into custody for violating the Election Code of Conduct, which was in force up to August 27, in view of the Avanigadda by-election to be held on August 21.
With the MLA announcing his decision to begin indefinite fast on Bandar Road from Saturday, police clarified that permission was not granted for the protest and appealed to Mr. Rao not to sit on fast. Police mobilised forces at his house at Gollapudi and on M.G. Road since Friday night.
When the leaders were about to move to the venue, police took them into custody and shifted them to the Machavaram police station. Speaking to the newsmen, Deputy Commissioner of Police M. Ravi Prakash said that the two leaders were taken into preventive custody under Section 151 CrPc.
