In an unexpected attack, BRS workers began targeting Revanth Reddy's vehicle from the premises of a local movie theatre.
Telangana Congress chief A Revanth Reddy during his padayatra. (Congress4Telangana/Twitter)
In a foreboding indication of what lies in store in the run-up to the Assembly elections later this year, BRS workers attacked Telangana Congress president A Revanth Reddy’s padayatra at Bhupalpally late night on Tuesday, 28 February, throwing eggs and stones at him.
The attack was unexpected as the BRS workers — who were on the premises of a movie theatre nearby — began attacking Revanth Reddy’s vehicle out of the blue. His security personnel and Congress workers, who pulled themselves together immediately, tried to prevent the flying objects from reaching Revanth Reddy by using the shawls they carried with them.
The attack took place as Revanth Reddy, in his inimitable rhetorical style, was ripping the BRS government and local MLA Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy.
As the objects began flying towards Revanth Reddy, the Congress workers retaliated, throwing stones, footwear and bottles at the BRS activists.
As the situation was getting out of control, the people who had gathered to listen to Revanth Reddy ran away and soon it was a free for all. The Congress’ retaliation was more fierce and did not stop even as the police arrived and tried to quell the rioting mob.
A few BRS workers and a police sub-inspector suffered bleeding injuries in the attack.
BRS goons threw stones on our street corner meeting in #Bhupalapally & tried to disturb it.
But we are #Congress soldiers and are not afraid of anyone.It’s just 16 days of #YatraForChange & you see the fear in BRS party. #HaathSeHaathJodo pic.twitter.com/kJLglCauKS
— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) February 28, 2023
The town was taut with tension since the morning of Tuesday with the workers of the two parties almost coming to blows at several places over Congress activists setting up their flexes over those of the BRS.
There were heated exchanges and it looked as though a clash was imminent. The police, who came in time, chased the workers of the two parties away and brought the situation under control but the embers continued to smoulder.
In the evening, when Revanth Reddy began washing in public the dirty linen of Venkata Ramana Reddy — who was once a Congress MLA — and KCR’s family, the BRS workers could not stand it anymore and rained stones at the campaign vehicle.
Revanth Reddy, sensing that there was no point in continuing his speech, ended it abruptly but not before lashing out at the MLA.
He dared Venkataramana Reddy for a showdown with him instead of letting loose his “drunken BRS workers” at him. He said that it was the BRS who wanted trouble and this was in evidence as it was they who started attacking while he was on his regular padayatra.
He said he had in fact rescheduled his padayatra to Tuesday, from 23 February, after learning that BRS working president and Minister KT Rama Rao was to address a public meeting on the same day.
But the BRS leaders had no decency that he had showed towards them, he said, and advised them to keep in mind that if the Congress workers so chose, Venkataramana Reddy or his supporters would not be able to live in Bhupalpally.
The attack on Revanth Reddy came at a time those on the ground have reported that his yatra was eliciting a good response from the people.
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