Khammam: Senior Communist leaders, who had long struggled to end caste discrimination, were left red faced on Sunday by their over enthusiastic supporters who put up flexies with their photographs at vanabhojanam programmes (garden lunches) organised by various communities in the district, without their knowledge.
Flexies with photographs of CPM state secretary T. Veerabhadram, district secretary P. Sudarshan, CPI district secretary B. Hemanth Rao, party senior leader Puvvada Nageswara Rao and CPI (ML) New Democracy leader Potu Ranga Rao were erected at the venue of vansa bhojanlu, organised by members of a particular caste.
This forced the Left leaders to organise a samanathavapu bhojanlu (social equality luncheon programme).
Traditionally, vanabhojanlu are organised on caste lines in the district, with members of Brahmin, Vysya, Munnuru Kapu, Kamma, Velama and Padmasali communities invite political leaders hailing from their community to the events.
Generally, these programmes are treated as private affairs of such communities and the leaders honour the invitation keeping their vote bank in mind.
At venues, the organisers generally put posters of these leaders welcoming the guests.
The social equality vanabhojanalu that the Left leaders organised was dominated by a portrait of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
CPM state secretary T. Veerabhadram, poet Jayaraj, CPI-M district secretary P. Sudarshan and others attended.
