BRS MLA Kaushik Reddy’s residence attacked by Arekapudi Gandhi’s followers

Tensions rose when Kaushik Reddy and Gandhi engaged in a heated exchange, with Reddy promising to visit Gandhi and present him with a BRS scarf, as well as hoist a BRS flag at Gandhi's Hyderabad residence on Thursday. In response, the police placed Kaushik Reddy under house arrest and increased security at Gandhi's residence.

Hyderabad: Supporters of Serlingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi attacked the residence of Huzurabad BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy at a gated villa community in Kondapur on Thursday. Tensions escalated as Kaushik Reddy and Gandhi indulged in a war of words, with the former vowing to visit the latter and offer him BRS scarf as well as hoist BRS flag on the latter’s residence in Hyderabad on Thursday. While the police placed Kaushik Reddy under house arrest, they tightened security at the residence of Gandhi.

Gandhi who recently defected from the BRS to ruling Congress, had recently justified the Assembly Speaker’s decision to appoint him as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), claiming that he continued to be a BRS MLA.

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In response, Kaushik Reddy on Wednesday announced that he would visit Gandhi’s house to offer him a BRS scarf and hoist the BRS party flag on top of his residence. He announced that he would reach Gandhi’s house at 11 am on Thursday and offer him the scarf. He accused the Serlingampally MLA of betraying the party by defecting and accepting the post of PAC chairman.

In anticipation of a confrontation, heavy police forces were deployed outside both legislators’ homes. Kaushik Reddy was placed under house arrest to prevent the situation from escalating. As the police did not allow him to leave, Kaushik Reddy challenged Gandhi to come to the BRS office at Telangana Bhavan, if he was a BRS MLA and later accompany him to meet the party chief K Chandrashekhar Rao. “But if he had joined the Congress, he must resign immediately,” he demanded.

Reacting to Kaushik Reddy’s challenge, Gandhi questioned the former’s competence to challenge a senior legislator like him. He said leaders like Kaushik Reddy were responsible for the electoral defeat of the BRS and its present condition. He claimed that people were aware who truly won the MLA seat. He accused Kaushik Reddy of instigating a war of words only to grab media attention. He announced that if the Huzurabad MLA fails to visit him, he will visit the latter’s residence.

Later, the Serlingampally MLA and his supporters went to the gated community in Kondapur where Kaushik Reddy lives and sought to meet him. However, as the police stopped them outside the gated community, Gandhi and his supporters staged a sit-in on the roadside. The police managed to bring situation under control, with much difficulty and shifted MLA Gandhi from the location to his residence in Kukatpally.

However, a few supporters managed to enter the gated community and indulged in fist fight with the BRS cadre who were waiting at the residence of Kaushik Reddy. They damaged some flower pots and plastic chairs outside BRS MLA’s residence and also pelted stones at the residence of Kaushik Reddy, breaking the window panes. They threw tomatoes and eggs at Kaushik Reddy as well, but he managed to evade them.

Speaking to mediapersons, Kaushik Reddy vowed that there would be an equal response from him against MLA Gandhi. He declared that he will not get intimidated with such attacks. He said the senior police officials did not respond to his phone calls, to arrest those who came to attack him and his family.