Hyderabad: The political temperature soared in the Dubbak Assembly constituency late on Monday evening, hours before scheduled polling on Tuesday, following an attack on Andole MLA Chanti Kranthi and former Nakrekal MLA Vemula Veeresham by local BJP leaders at Swarna Palace Hotel in Siddipet town. There were visible signs of the attack as blood was found splattered in the hotel foyer.
The incident occurred when about 100 BJP workers, accusing the TRS leaders of distributing money, came to the hotel stating that they wanted to check the room where Kranthi Kiran was staying. They alleged that the TRS leaders were distributing money camping in the hotel to influence voters in Dubbak. “When I asked them what they were doing in our room, the BJP workers said the door was open and they wanted to search it. I told them that just because the door was open, they cannot walk in, and suggested that they approach the police if they wanted the room searched,” Kranthi Kiran said.
The TRS legislator said the BJP workers got into a heated argument even after he invited them inside to check the room and subsequently, attacked him and other TRS leaders present there.
Meanwhile, TRS leaders alleged that Siddipet BJP leaders had brought three murder accused who were recently arrested on charges of killing rowdy-sheeter Yellam Goud in Siddipet district, to attack Kranthi Kiran.
Finance Minister T Harish Rao, condemning the attack, said this was a pre-planned attack by BJP leaders to create law and order problem in the constituency. “The BJP leadership is unable to digest the fact that there has been a tremendous response for the TRS in the constituency. They are stooping down to such levels only for political gains by creating tension before the bypoll,” he said in a statement.
Accusing the BJP leaders of attacking two Dalit leaders, Harish said the entire episode was deliberately carried out as per their agenda of creating trouble before the election. “The police checked the hotel room just 15 minutes before the BJP attack and they found nothing,” he pointed out.
The Minister, quoting election guidelines, said leaders can stay outside the constituency. “Our leaders were in Siddipet and it is condemnable that BJP workers should attack TRS leaders there,” he said.
Harish pointed out that BJP Dubbak by-election in-charge Jitendar Reddy was staying in Reddy Colony of adjoining Ramayampet since morning. “You can’t have different yardsticks of jurisdiction for TRS leaders,” he said, and asked TRS leaders and cadre to maintain calm even if the BJP workers provoked them.
The police took some people involved in the incident into custody and were investigating the issue.
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