Internal bickering comes to fore in Congress in Asifabad

Supporters of party leader A. Shyam Naik claimed they were informed about a meeting, while a faction led by District Congress president K. Vishwaprasad asserted that they had invited everyone, which sparked the conflict. The factions clashed, throwing chairs at one another, leading to an altercation that resulted in injuries to one of Naik's followers.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Leaders of the Congress came to blows during an awareness meeting over an action plan to be followed for forthcoming census of Backward Castes, conducted here on Saturday, exposing internal bickering in the party.

The group belonging to the party’s leader A Shyam Naik alleged that they were informed about the meeting. A faction of District Congress president K Vishwaprasad claimed that they invited everyone, igniting the tiff. Factions of both leaders hurled chairs against each other. They then attacked one among the other, resulting in injuries to a follower of Naik.

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The meeting went on even as Naik along with his followers staged a sit-in on a road near the venue of the event, demanding suspension of Vishwaprasad from the Congress. He and his followers were arrested and shifted to Asifabad police station. They lodged a complaint against Vishwaprasad with leadership of the party for not following protocol during events of the party.

While Vishwaprasad has been associated with the Congress party for quite a long time, Naik joined the Congress after resigning as road transport officer during the Assembly elections in 2023. He contested on the ticket of the Congress from Asifabad Assembly segment and ended up in the second spot by polling 60,238 votes. He is the husband of former Khanapur MLA Rekha Naik.

The two leaders were reportedly at loggerheads since Assembly elections. Naik was allegedly trying to get control over the party, triggering dissent among followers of Vishwaprasad.