Praja Rajyam party leader and actor Chiranjeevi has taken his fight directly in to the camp of his 'enemy's fort'. He started his "Praja Ankitam Yatra" in Kadapa district from Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's home constituency Pulivendula today amid tight security.
The area is in grip of tension since yesterday when a group of Congress workers attacked and destroyed the vehicles of Prajay Rajyam party in Pulivendula and burnt the flags and banners put up by the party to welcome Chiranjeevi.
The police, which have come under attack for their failure in preventing the violence by Congress workers yesterday, were on alert today to prevent any untoward incident.
The Congress workers, armed with sticks and stone went on rampage and targeted the vehicles of the senior PRP leaders, including K Vidyadhar Rao and Shobha Nagi Reddy who were forced to take shelter in the government guest house. They alleged that though policemen were present at the time, they remained silent spectators.
Eight vehicles were destroyed in the attack and eight people were injured. The Congress workers also held a demonstration at the guest house, demanding an apology from the PRP leaders for criticizing the Chief Minister.
Addressing a press conference, Vidyadhar Rao said that the party had put up its banners and boards with permission from the authorities but the Congress workers deliberately removed and destroyed them.
The local Congress leaders alleged that the PRP workers provoked the trouble by tying a banner near the house of a Congress leaders and by shouting slogans against the Chief Minister and the Congress party.
Pulivendula has been a fortress of YSR family for the last three decades. The family members of YSR completely dominate the local politics. By choosing Pulivendula to launch his yatra in politically sensitive Kadapah district, Chiranjeevi has surprised every body. He will begin his Yatra today from Balapanur, the birth place of Rajasekhara Reddy and move towards Pulivendula. He is scheduled to address series of road side meetings in Pulivendula.
Chiranjeevi was expected to reply to the criticism of the Chief Minister who had questioned the record of service of the film star.
"What have you done for your own birth place Mogalturu," the Chief Minister had asked him during his visit to the East and West Godavari districts recently.
Now Chiranjeevi is likely to question the record of the Chief Minister's service to his constituency. Kadapa is the second district Chiranjeevi is visiting in the Rayala Seema region, notorious for political violence, faction killings and bomb culture. So far in his meetings in Anantapur district, Chiranjeevi has promised to the people that on coming to power he will put an end to the culture of violence and factionalism in the region.
Meanwhile, the PRP organised the protest demonstrations throughout the state today to protest against the attack in Pulivendula. Allu Arvind, brother in law of Chiranjeevi said that the party will take the procession of the destroyed vehicles of party leaders throughout the state to expose the Congress party.
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