Hyderabad: The clash between the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the main opposition Congress in Kodangal constituency of Mahbubnagar district reached a flashpoint after police arrested the state Congress working president and candidate A Revanth Reddy. This followed his threat to obstruct the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s visit to his constituency later on Tuesday.
About 100 policemen raided his residence at around 3am waking Reddy from his sleep and taking him away. His two brothers and scores of supporters were also arrested.
While Revanth Reddy was kept in custody at police training center at Jadcharla his brothers were taken to Nagarkurnool and Viqarabad.
Additional director general of police Jitendar said that Revanth Reddy was taken into custody as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order and will be released after Chief Minister’s meeting.
The action came hours before the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was scheduled to address an election meeting at Kosagi village in the constituency. Revanth Reddy had given a all to his supporters to obstruct the way of KCR and question him for blocking the development of the constituency.
In view of his threats the TRS had approached the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer had issued a notice to the state police.
The police action evoked a strong reaction from Revanth Reddy’s family and the senior leaders of Congress. State Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and former union minister S Jaipal Reddy condemned his arrest and said that this shows there was no democracy in the state.
Revanth Reddy’s wife Gita urged his supporters to maintain peace and teach TRS a lesson on the day of the election.
“Policemen forcibly barged into our residence by breaking the locks and treated my husband like a terrorist”, she said.
