Stones Pelted at Minister Vivek’s Convoy in Mancherial; Constable Injured

Adilabad:BRS activists allegedly pelted stones at the convoy of minister Gaddam Vivek Venkatswamy and his son Vamshi in Mancherial district on Tuesday. Congress leaders alleged that BRS former MLA Balka Suman provoked party cadre and pelted stones at the minister's convoy.

A constable, Rakesh, and Congress leader Javid of Mandamarri were injured in the attack. The Venkatswamys were on their way to the Kyathanpally to cast their vote as ex officio members.

The BRS activists were protesting the police denying permission to Suman to enter the municipal office premises. BRS MLA Kova Laxmi staged a sit-in, accusing the police of highhandness.

The row centred around the indirect elections to the Kyathanpalli municipalities, which was postponed again on Tuesday in view of the prevailing tense situation. The State Election Commission will decide a schedule for the election later.

The BRS has won 10 of the 22 wards of Kyathanpally and has the support of the CPI with four seats, taking its tally to 14. The Congress has won seven seats and there is one independent. The votes of ex officio members are expected to swing the balance.

Police chased away the BRS activists after the stone-pelting. The window pane of a vehicle got damaged.

Speaking to the media, minister Vivek Venkatswamy alleged that Sauman is destroying democracy with his goondaism. He demanded the police register cases against Suman and take action against him.

Suman alleged that Congress activists misbehaved with the women councillors of the BRS and it was the Congress cadre who were behaving like goondas. He alleged that the district administration is working in favour of the Congress and police resorted to a lathicharge against the BRS leaders.

In Hyderabad, the Congress strongly condemned the attack on the convoy of minister Vivek Venkatswamy and described this as an assault on democracy by 'BRS hooligans'.

Tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao expressed shock at how the attackers were able to undermine the security arrangements on the road and resorted to violence using stones and sticks. “The unruly group not only attacked the convoy carrying the minister and his son and MP Vamshi, but also injured a police constable. There is no place for such acts of destruction and violence in a democratic society”

“News reports indicate that former MLA Balka Suman was directly involved in encouraging this rowdyism, which is completely unacceptable. Regardless of their influence or position, strict legal action must be taken against those responsible,” Krishna Rao posted on X.

Chairman of the Telangana Fishermen Cooperative Societies Federation M. Sai Kumar felt that former Chennur MLA Suman has stooped to a new low.