Energy Minister G. Jagadish Reddy and Congress legislator from Munugode Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy were engaged in a heated exchange of words on the dais, at a programme organised to distribute food security cards, in Choutuppal on Monday.
Congress cadre and followers of Mr. Rajagopal Reddy, who alleged protocol violation by the government, erupted in sloganeering as soon as the Minister arrived at the venue.
The ‘Minister down-down’ slogans continued, and the programme was briefly halted. Only after the police removed the group of enraged people were the proceedings continued.
But soon, when Mr. Reddy took the microphone and began addressing the gathering, on the welfare and successes of the TRS government, Mr. Rajagopal Reddy stood up in denial and took a microphone to make his point.
The tense situation in the hall turned uncontrollable, even as the police and the hosts on the dais tried intervening, when both leaders stood face to face and exchanged words. The Congress leader later grabbed the Minister’s microphone too.
According to Mr. Rajagopal Reddy, he was not invited to the programme that was organised in his constituency.
“Even without basic intimation to the local legislator (me), how can he come to the constituency? People of Munugode are waiting for resolution of pending issues, not new programmes,” he said, later speaking to media persons.
The Congress leader said Mr. Jagadish Reddy would be appreciated if he pursued the interests of Munugode and brought funds to check polluting industries and contamination in Choutuppal, and to address issues of Sivannaguda reservoir oustees and the incomplete SLBC tunnel project.
Mr. Jagadish Reddy, who participated in distribution programmes in Suryapet and Nalgonda earlier in the day, said people of Telangana had owned Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the TRS government as their family, for the development works.
“There is no responsible Opposition in Telangana. It is only for vote politics they are opposing government’s development programmes. Why should the government care for the Opposition, when even people stopped thinking about them?” he said.
