Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Unruly scenes mar padayatra at Khammam

By Our Staff Reporter

KHAMMAM MAY 8. The padayatra by the Andhra Pradesh Congress Legislature Party leader, Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy, was marred by the feuds in the district Congress groups in Khammam town today. Some unruly elements who sought to keep the rival group of the local MLA, Younis Sultan, away from the rally triggered the problem.

A few leaders had their shirts torn while a good number of women party workers, including the municipal Chairpersons of Khammam and Kothagudem — A. Nagamallika and Vadige Annamma respectively — and the Mahila Congress district unit president, Anjali, were roughed up and insulted much to the dismay of Dr. Reddy himself.

In a bid to defend themselves, the Mahila Congress leaders sought to take the cover of senior leaders accompanying the CLP leader. In the process of shielding the women, the Suthanagar MLA, Rameddy Venkata Reddy, also incurred the ire of the unruly group. Hurt in the melee, he retired to a nearby guest house.

The former vice-president of the Khammam Municipal Council, Kesa Bikshavati, and the Mahila Congress district secretary, Savitri, were also meted out the same treatment. They made a vain bid to receive Dr. Rajasekhar Reddy along with other leaders of the Mahila Congress as the yatra entered the town. The minority cell chief of the District Congress Committee, Qureshi, was also hurt as he was pushed away by the rival group.

The CLP leader, who was obviously moved by the plight of the Mahila Congress leaders, finally went to their rescue and sympathised with them for the treatment meted out to them in the yatra. The DCC-I president, Vanama Venkateswar Rao, also stayed away from the padayatra from 11 a.m.

He said he could do little to save the Mahila Congress leaders from the unpleasant experience they had.

Dr. Rajasekhar Reddy cut short the forenoon session of the yatra after the incident. Hundreds of party workers and supporters waited for his scheduled visit to the Khammam market yard, but he avoided meeting. The Khammam Municipal Chairperson, Nagamallika, lodged a protest with Dr. Reddy for the incident.

She said that it was a deliberate act to offend the women activists of the party. Hundreds of women wanted to greet the CLP leader with `sindhur' and give him a rousing welcome to the town.

She said being the municipal Chairperson she should be among the first to receive the CLP leader. But she was put to embarrassment instead.

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