Internal bickering among the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders in Wyra constituency took an ugly turn on Wednesday when supporters of two rival groups nearly came to blows during a meeting in connection with the ‘Rythu Bandhu’ programme at Pedamunagala in Konijerla mandal.
The meeting convened to distribute cheques to farmers was marred by a verbal spat between the supporters of two warring factions.
The confrontation took place in the presence of Khammam MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Wyra MLA Banoth Madan Lal.
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The wordy duel briefly interrupted the cheque distribution programme and left the beneficiaries of Rythu Bandhu scheme baffled.
At the beginning of the meeting, a follower of Mr. Srinivas Reddy reportedly took the mike and announced that a woman farmer will present a plough to the MP.
Soon commotion began with one of the supporters of Mr. Madan Lal allegedly trying to take away the mike insisting that cheque distribution would be taken up forthwith, sources said.
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The tense situation prevailed for some time as boisterous supporters of the MLA and MP jostled with each other raising slogans in favour of their respective leaders.
The police, however, immediately pacified the members of the warring groups.
Tense moments were witnessed later, in front of the venue, when some of the rival supporters tried to sit in front of the MLA’s car. The police dispersed them and brought the situation under control.
The incident comes to light a couple of weeks after some TRS senior leaders held talks with the rival groups to flush out their differences and forge unity among the rank and file of the party ahead of the 2019 general elections, sources said.
It may be recalled that both Mr. Madan Lal and Mr. Srinivas Reddy joined the TRS in May 2016, quitting the YSRCP in September 2014.