Watch: Chaos in Telangana Congress Patancheru unit as cadre protest against MLA Mahipal Reddy
Congress cadre accuses him of acting against party, refusing to place Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's photograph in his camp office
Sangareddy: Tension prevailed in Patancheru as a section of Congress leaders and cadre staged a massive protest accusing Patancheru MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy of ignoring them.
Mahipal Reddy joined the Congress after winning the 2023 Assembly election on a BRS ticket. The Congress cadre further alleged that he was acting against the Congress in the constituency.
As Mahipal Reddy and some of his followers ill-treated Congress leaders during a meeting in IDA Bollaram on Tuesday, the Congress cadre organised the protest at the Ambedkar statue in Patancheru on Thursday to register their protest.
They said the MLA did not even wear the Congress scarf and refused to place Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s photograph in his official camp office even after joining the Congress.
The heart of Patancheru town reverberated with ‘MLA down down’ and ‘Mahipal Reddy down down’ slogans as the protest continued for more than hour.
When the Congress cadre tried to burn the effigy of Mahipal Reddy, the police confiscated it.
Chaos prevailed for more than half an hour on NH-65 when the police went on slapping and beating the Congress cadre to control the crowd.
Later, the Congress cadre proceeded towards the Patancheru MLA’s camp office carrying Revanth Reddy‘s portrait on their shoulders when the MLA was not at his office. They placed the Chief Minister’s portrait in the camp office and later they damaged the chairs.
Speaking after the incident, Mahipal Reddy accused Congress constituency in-charge Kata Srinivas Goud, who contested against him in the 2018 and 2023 Assembly elections, of instigating the attack on his office.
However, Reddy said he would not tolerate such incidents in the future. He further warned that they would retaliate strongly if Kata and his followers continued such acts.
Responding to Mahipal Reddy’s allegations, Kata said Mahipal Reddy must respect the Congress cadre and leaders.
He said the Congress cadre, who felt humiliated by the behaviour of the MLA, would certainly respond in a such way.
However, Kata said he would never encourage such attacks on MLA’s office.
