Police stop BRS leaders from marching to defected MLA's house

Hyderabad, Sep 13 (IANS) Hyderabad Police foiled the attempt by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy and other leaders to march to the residence of defected MLA Arekapudi Gandhi on Friday.

Kaushik Reddy and MLC Shambipur Raju were not allowed to come out of the latter's residence to prevent any untoward incident.

Kaushik Reddy had asked the BRS leaders and workers to gather at Gandhi's residence for a party meeting to retaliate against the attack on his house by Gandhi's supporters.

The political heat generated by the war of words between the two leaders continued for a second day as police took several BRS leaders and workers into preventive custody to foil the planned protest.

Kaushik Reddy, who was present at the house of Shambipur Raju, tried to come out to proceed to Gandhi's house but the police personnel deployed there stopped and forced him to retreat.

Kaushik Reddy, a BRS MLA from Huzurabad in Karimnagar district, entered into an argument with police officers. He wanted to know why police were arresting BRS leaders while giving a "free run" to the Congress leaders.

He had earlier announced that he, along with party workers of Greater Hyderabad and combined Rangareddy district led by Medchal-Malkajgiri district president Shambipur Raju, would proceed to Gandhi’s residence to hold a party meeting there.

As BRS leaders and workers Friday started gathering at Shambipur Raju’s residence to take out a rally to reach Gandhi’s house, police stepped up security to foil any protest and maintain law and order.

A police officer said about 20 party workers were detained and shifted to police stations.

Senior BRS leader and former minister T. Harish Rao was placed under house arrest in Kokapet. He wanted to visit a hospital for treatment of an injury he claimed to have received during commotion while staging a protest against the attack on Kaushik Reddy’s house.

Former minister and MLA Sunita Lakshma Reddy and former MP Maloth Kavitha were stopped by police when they arrived at Harish Rao’s house to meet him.

Former ministers P. Sabitha Indra Reddy, T. Srinivas Yadav and Malla Reddy were placed under house arrest.

Kukatpally MLA M. Krishna Rao and Qutbullahpur MLA K. P. Vivekanand Goud were also placed under house arrest as police in Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates went on alert to prevent any untoward incident.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers outside the residence of Gandhi. The MLA, who recently defected from BRS to Congress, said he was ready to welcome BRS leaders including Kaushik Reddy but warned that if they come to attack his house, he will give a befitting reply.

Meanwhile, another defected MLA and former minister Danam Nagender reached Gandhi’s house to express solidarity.

Gandhi, an MLA from the Serilingampally constituency in Greater Hyderabad, was elected on a BRS ticket but joined the ruling Congress party in July. His recent appointment as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the state Assembly has triggered a row amid the legal fight by BRS for the disqualification of all 10 of its MLAs who defected to the Congress party since March.

On Gandhi's remark that he was still with BRS, Kaushik Reddy announced that he would visit his residence, hoist the party flag and offer him a BRS scarf. This led to a bitter war of words between the two leaders with Gandhi accepting his challenge and daring him to come to his house.

On Thursday, Gandhi along with his supporters reached Kaushik Reddy's house in Kondapur and dared him to come out. Gandhi's supporters barged into the premises and damaged window panes and flower pots.

Police detained Gandhi and his supporters. They were booked for unlawful assembly, rioting and trespass.

A case against Kaushik Reddy was also booked for allegedly threatening a police officer at Cyberabad Police Commissioner's office where he had gone along with other BRS leaders to demand action against Gandhi for the attack on his residence.