Tension prevails as BRS, Congress confront in Kyathanpalli municipality

A tense situation unfolded in Mancherial when police prevented BRS leaders from entering the Kyathanpalli municipality premises for a special meeting to elect the chairperson and vice-chairperson. The confrontation escalated into a lathi charge, leaving both police and BRS cadres injured.

Mancherial: Tension prevailed briefly when police prevented BRS leaders from entering the premises of the Kyathanpalli municipality for a special meeting convened to elect the chairperson and vice-chairperson on Tuesday.

BRS leaders, led by district president Balka Suman and Asifabad MLA Kova Lakshmi, were stopped by the police while they, along with the party’s councillors, were heading to the municipal office on a flyover, citing norms. They picked an argument with the police for not allowing them to accompany the party councillors. Police and BRS leaders jostled with each other during the confrontation.

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Police resorted to lathi charge against BRS leaders and activists, and both police personnel and BRS cadres sustained injuries. The confrontation led to tension, with the municipal office premises resembling a battleground. BRS cadres raised slogans against the police and criticised them for showing over-enthusiasm under the guise of norms.

Suman said they were accompanying the councillors to prevent the alleged abduction of BRS-CPI councillors by the Congress, which, he alleged, was illegally attempting to secure the chairperson post despite winning only four wards in the 22-member Kyathanpalli municipality, disrespecting the mandate of the voters. He further alleged that police were acting under the direction of Labour Minister Dr G Vivek and Peddapalli MP V Vamshi Krishna.

The BRS-CPI alliance emerged as the largest bloc by winning 14 wards in the 22-member Kyathanpalli municipality. However, the BRS alleged that Congress leaders created trouble by entering the municipal premises in a bid to capture the chairperson post on Monday. Amid tense scenes, the meeting was postponed to Tuesday due to a lack of quorum.

The BRS councillors said they were prepared to attend the special meeting and elect their chairperson. They regretted that the Congress was insisting on silent voting, which they claimed was against norms, and urged officials to convene the meeting and allow them to elect their chairperson.