Protocol violations witnessed across Medak district

Protocol has become a major issue between the ruling Congress and the main Opposition, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the erstwhile Medak district.

Sangareddy: Protocol has become a major issue between the ruling Congress and the main Opposition, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the erstwhile Medak district.

Since the BRS had won seven out of 10 assembly seats in the erstwhile Medak, the Congress has been finding it difficult to tackle the BRS in the district. The other day, when Forest and Endowment Minister Konda Surekha conducted a review meeting in Sangareddy, most of the MLAs who occupied the seats on the dais were BRS MLAs. Except for Narayankhed, Medak and Andole, the BRS had bagged the remaining seven seats in the district.

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Since the BRS was also holding all three ZP Chairman posts and other protocol posts, there was little space for Congress leaders on the dais during government-organised programmes. However, Congress leaders who lost the assembly elections, were occupying the dais in violation of protocol. When Health Minister Damodara Raja Narasimha toured Patancheru, Congress leader Kata Srinivas Goud occupied the dais during the Praja Palana programme in Ameenpur, while the local BRS MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy stayed away from the Minister’s programme.

As Endowment Minister Konda Surekha had invited Congress leader Kommuri Prathap Reddy onto the dais while reviewing the arrangements for Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple Komuravelly jatra, it sparked a row between the two parties. Though BRS MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy pointed out the violation of the protocol, she refused to send Prathap Reddy off the dais. Finally, Rajeshwar Reddy walked out of the meeting.

Meanwhile, BRS MLAs are alleging that the Congress government was not printing the pictures of BRS MLAs on flexies, posters and banners of government programmes. Narsapur MLA V Sunitha Lakshma Reddy also raised the issue of protocol violation in her constituency multiple times. She has complained that she was not being informed by officials about government programmes.

BRS legislators are now preparing to complain to the Assembly Speaker on the issue. With the Lok Sabha and local body elections fast approaching, both parties are not letting down their guard.